It was announced by President Obama in October, but given that this very good news goes into full effect today, it is worth mentioning and perhaps even celebrating.
After 22 years of enforcing the immoral policy of excluding those with HIV or AIDS from even entering the U.S., the Obama administration has finally lifted the rules off the books:
President Obama said the ban was not compatible with US plans to be a leader in the fight against the disease.
This keeps the U.S. away from some pretty bad company:
It put the US in a group of just 12 countries, also including Libya and Saudi Arabia, that excluded anyone suffering from HIV/Aids.
Beyond the fact that it was immoral in the first place, the ban is also essentially meaningless given the substantial progress we've made in treatment and disease management.
The timing is also important given that the U.S. was due to host the bi-annual summit on HIV/AIDS in 2012, but keeping the ban in place would have risked the summit from even taking place:
Rachel Tiven, head of the campaign group Immigration Equality, told the BBC that the step was long overdue.
"The 2012 World Aids Conference, due to be held in the United States, was in jeopardy as a result of the restrictions. It's now likely to go ahead as planned," she said.
In October, President Obama said the entry ban had been "rooted in fear rather than fact".
He said: "We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the Aids pandemic - yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people with HIV from entering our own country."
I'm proud that our President has made the right and moral decision on this particular issue, and believe he deserves credit.