U.S. to Deny Visas to Immigrants Unless They Can Pay Health Care

The U.S. will deny visas to immigrants unless they can prove they can cover their own medical costs, a move aimed at preventing the entry of those who “will be a financial burden to the United States healthcare system.”

Immigrants applying for visas will have to prove they will be covered by health insurance within 30 days of entering the country or have the financial resources to pay for medical bills, the White House said in a proclamation issued on Friday.

The edict highlights President Donald Trump’s tough stance on migrants that will remain central to his campaign for the 2020 election. The move also effectively creates a mandate for immigrants to have health care after the administration overturned the Obama-era rule for Americans to have coverage, a setback for efforts to reduce the level of uninsured in the U.S.