A new State Department policy seeks to limit immigrants from entering the United States based on whether they have certain underlying medical conditions, including common ailments like diabetes, obesity, and mental health issues.

The U.S. visa process has always allowed for denial of entry based on health concerns, but has typically focused on people with notable communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, or who do not have a strong vaccine history. The new policy vastly expands the criteria for rejection of visas , citing purported concerns of medical costs individuals may incur while residing in the U.S.

“Certain medical conditions — including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental

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