Border Patrol Chief Says Migrant’s HIV+ Status Justifies Family Separation As HIV Is Classified As Communicable

Chris Johnson reports at the Washington Blade:

As President Trump continues to praise his administration’s plan to beat the HIV epidemic by 2030, a top Trump administration official says an immigrant’s HIV status is enough to justify family separation at the border.

Brian Hastings, chief of Customs & Border Patrol, made the remarks during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing Thursday under questioning from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).

When Raskin asked the official if a mother or father having HIV positive status “is alone enough to justify separation from their child” Hastings affirmed that was the case. “It is because it’s a communicable disease under the guidance,” Hastings said.

GLAAD reacts: “Targeting people living with HIV as part of the cruel family separation policy is a new low for the Trump Administration. This policy relies on discriminatory falsehoods about people living with HIV, and will undoubtedly bring harm and further stigma.”

Watch the video.