This archive report was first published on 28 November 2019.
On November 26, 2019, US District Judge Michael Simon issued a ruling blocking the Trump administration's plan to deny visas to immigrants who cannot prove they have health insurance or resources to cover medical costs.
The policy, unveiled in a proclamation by President Donald Trump, aimed to require immigrants to have insurance within 30 days of entering the country or demonstrate they have resources to cover their own medical costs.
However, Judge Simon ruled that the requirement effectively bars poor people from entering the United States, which he said is against the law.
"The proclamation is anticipated to affect approximately 60 percent of all immigrant visa applicants," Judge Simon wrote. "The president offers no national security or foreign relations justification for this sweeping change in immigration law."
The proclamation is anticipated to affect approximately 60 percent of all immigrant visa applicants. The president offers no national security or foreign relations justification for this sweeping change in immigration law. The plaintiffs, including US citizens, their relatives abroad, and the Latino Network, a non-profit organization, argued that the rule violated the separation of powers as defined in the US Constitution. The Trump administration has announced plans to appeal the ruling.
