Trump Rule That Visa-Seekers Must Prove They Can Pay For Health Insurance Temporarily Blocked By Judge
“Facing a likely risk of being separated from their family members and a delay in obtaining a visa to which family members would otherwise be entitled is irreparable harm,” wrote Judge Michael Simon in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon of the Trump administration's policy that would require new immigrants to show proof of health insurance or the means to afford it.
The Associated Press:
US Judge Blocks Trump's Health Insurance Rule For Immigrants
A federal judge in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday put on hold a Trump administration rule requiring immigrants prove they will have health insurance or can pay for medical care before they can get visas. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon granted a temporary restraining order that prevents the rule from going into effect Sunday. It's not clear when he will rule on the merits of the case. (11/2)
Reuters:
Judge Blocks Trump Rule Requiring Prospective Immigrants Have Health Insurance
Judge Michael Simon in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, granted a 28-day temporary restraining order that prevents the rule from taking effect on Nov. 3. The legal challenge against it will continue. In an 18-page order, Simon said the potential damage to would-be immigrants and their families justified a nationwide block. “Facing a likely risk of being separated from their family members and a delay in obtaining a visa to which family members would otherwise be entitled is irreparable harm,” he wrote. (11/2)
The Oregonian:
Federal Judge In Oregon Temporarily Bars President Trump From Restricting Visas For Immigrants Without Health Insurance
Simon granted temporary relief in the public’s interest, saying it appeared the new mandate conflicts with the Immigration and Nationality Act and related federal health care law, and is “arbitrary and capricious.’’ He scheduled a hearing for Nov. 22 to consider whether to grant a preliminary injunction in the case. (Bernstein, 11/2)
The Washington Post:
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Order Requiring Would-Be Immigrants To Prove They Have Health Insurance
President Trump’s October proclamation required that prospective immigrants demonstrate they could obtain health insurance within 30 days of arriving in the United States — a demand that immigration and health experts said would be particularly onerous for low-income immigrants who may not already have lined up jobs with health insurance or may be unable to pay for “reasonably foreseeable medical costs,” as the rule states. Experts warned that the policy would favor the wealthy and prevent many U.S. citizens from bringing family members into the country. (Abutaleb, Stein and Epstein, 11/3)
The Wall Street Journal:
Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Health-Care Requirement For New Immigrants
Immigrant advocates said the policy would effectively ban poor immigrants. President Trump issued the order using the same authority as his executive order blocking citizens of several Muslim-majority nations from entering the U.S. Mr. Trump has frequently criticized the nation’s legal immigration system, which allots most visas to family members of U.S. citizens and awards 50,000 green cards each year to foreigners in countries with low numbers of immigrants in the U.S., many of them in Africa and Asia. (Hackman, 11/3)
The Hill:
White House Slams Court Decision Blocking Migrant Insurance Rule
The White House on Sunday blasted a recent federal court decision to temporarily block the Trump administration's new policy requiring migrants who want certain visas to have health insurance or prove they can pay health care costs. "We strongly disagree with the district court’s decision to impose a nationwide injunction against the President’s policy on a preliminary, emergency basis over the weekend without even affording the government an opportunity to provide a written defense," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. (Frazin, 11/3)
