Statement of Senator Thomas K. Duane RE: The Lifting of the Entry Ban for HIV-Positive Foreign Nationals

January 5, 2010

“The lifting of the ban on HIV-positive foreign nationals’ entry, stay and residence in the United States on January 4 brings to a close 22 years of shameful and misguided policy.  President Obama deserves the highest praise for initiating and completing the long-overdue repeal of this meritless regulation.  There was and is no public health rationale nor medical basis for maintaining HIV infection as an excludable condition for admission into our country.  The repeal of this law now brings the United States in line with current science and international standards of public health and human rights practice around the globe.  As New York State’s only openly HIV-positive legislator, I am proud that my country is finally on the right side of this public policy issue and has taken this step toward eroding, and no longer perpetuating, prejudice and stigma around HIV.”

--State Senator Thomas K. Duane

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