Another Trump effort to close the doors to America turned down by a Federal judge….
A federal judge Tuesday halted President Trump’s effort to require people trying to enter the U.S. with certain visas to have health insurance or otherwise prove they can afford to pay for medical costs before obtaining their visa.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon, an Obama appointee, issued the order that would prevent the State Department from enforcing the policy, which was announced in October and would significantly curtail immigrants’ ability to migrate to the U.S. and obtain visas.
Simon said in his ruling that the requirement that immigrants buy unsubsidized insurance would illegally hinder the ability of poorer immigrants from entering the country.
“The proclamation is anticipated to affect approximately 60 percent of all immigrant visa applicants,” Simon wrote. “The president offers no national security or foreign relations justification for this sweeping change in immigration law.”
The judge also dismissed the government’s argument that migrants would not suffer irreparable harm because their family members’ visas will only be “delayed,” noting that the proposal could prevent some immigrants from entering the country and thus separating families.
“These are immigrant applicants for whom it has already been determined it would be an ‘extreme hardship’ on family members for them to be separated,” he wrote.
Officials could have started enforcing the policy on Dec. 1 if Simon hadn’t issued his ruling, though the administration is expected to appeal….