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The hard-line immigration policies of the U.S President Donald Trump are discouraging migrants looking HIV treatment. A leading expert has claimed that a new report shows infection rates among some Latino communities soaring by as much as 30%. This report was published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The report claimed the battle against HIV in the United States has stalled after a period of steady decline during recent years. Latest figures show there are 39,000 new infections every year. The report was published 3 weeks after Trump announced a plan to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.

It showed infection rates decreased by 16% among white gay and bisexual men. They remained stable among black gay and bisexual men. Moreover, the infection rates were increased by more than 30% among Latino gay and bisexual men. The Director of CDC, Robert Redfield said, “Now is the time for our nation to take bold action. We strongly support President Trump’s plan to end the HIV epidemic in America”. Another prominent expert believes Trump’s policies are making the situation worse. While the data contained in the CDC report was collected from 2010-16 before Trump became president. It was revealed to be evidence his hard-line policies on immigration are discouraging some of the most vulnerable groups from getting treatment.

Professor of global health at Atlanta’s Emory University, Carlos del Rio, informed the press that he had seen persuasive evidence that HIV outreach among migrant and Latino communities had become more difficult since the president took office. He said it appeared many people were “keeping their heads low”. A member of the leadership team of Fast-Track Cities (United Nations-backed initiative to tackle HIV), Del Rio said, “That is why, while I welcome the president’s proposal [to tackle HIV], his other policies are impacting people”. Rio added, “It is good to have lofty goals, but those other policies are impacting that effort”. The CDC data showed the total number of infection rates leveled off from 2013-2016 after falling for a number of years.