AHF's Dr. Saavedra Keynote at the ALIANZA 13th Latino HIV Conference

By: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Los Angeles, CA - September 25, 2009

Dr. Jorge Saavedra, Chief of Global Affairs for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), was the keynote speaker at the 2009 ALIANZA 13th Latino HIV Conference in Los Angeles, CA on September 19, 2009.  The conference centered around the theme of  "Zero HIV Transmission and 100% Access to Care" and posed the question, “Culture, Stigma & Prevention. What is your Action?”

Dr. Saavedra spoke to a group of over 450 Spanish-speaking men and women stessing the importance of using condoms to reduce the spread of HIV.  He also spoke about the significance of his coming out as an openly gay, HIV-positive man during the time he held a high-level government position as General Director of CENSIDA, Mexico's national HIV/AIDS program.  Dr. Saavedra also spoke about his current U.S. work visa and the discriminatory nature of the current U.S. HIV travel ban.

The HIV travel ban was signed into law by the U.S. Senate in 1993 and excludes any foreigner with HIV from entering the United States.  However, recent actions by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services may be calling this ban into serious question. In a memo issued by the USCIS Tuesday, September 22nd, all officers are instructed to place "on hold" any green card applications which would normally be denied due to HIV status. This is a strong indication that under the current Obama administration, the ban on immigration by HIV-positive foreign nationals may soon be lifted.