US State Department imposes travel ban on Cuban medical programme officials

The US State Department has imposed a travel ban on Cuban officials who run Cuba’s overseas medical missions programme under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Reportedly, these programmes consist of “certain exploitative and coercive labour practices” for doctors, including “long work hours without rest, meagre wages, unsafe housing, and restricted movement”, the withholding of passports, and surveillance outside of work. The Press Statement “call[s] on governments that currently engage with Cuba’s overseas medical programs to ensure safeguards” against these practices.