El-Sayed Stands By Call to Repeal Michigan's HIV Criminalization Law
The Democratic Senate nominee's stance from 2018 on HIV disclosure laws resurfaces as he faces former Rep. Mike Rogers in a key midterm race.
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed is reaffirming his previous calls to repeal a state law that criminalized having sex without disclosing HIV status, a position he held during his 2018 gubernatorial campaign. The law, enacted in 1988, previously carried a prison sentence of up to four years for individuals aware of their HIV-positive status who engaged in sexual penetration without informing their partner.
In 2018, El-Sayed, who is an epidemiologist and former health director for Wayne County, publicly stated, "You should not be criminalized for a disease. That is absolutely wrong. It’s hateful. It’s discriminatory, and we can, as a state, do better." He argued that such laws stigmatize individuals living with HIV, stating, "no disease can be illegal."
This stance comes as El-Sayed campaigns against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for the Senate seat held by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters. The Michigan race is considered crucial for Democrats seeking to regain control of the Senate.
During his 2018 bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, El-Sayed's campaign website advocated for repealing HIV/AIDS criminalization laws. He also stated at the time that decriminalizing HIV through legislation was a priority. Then-gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer also supported revisiting the law, calling it wrong to criminalize sickness.
The law was reformed in early 2019 with bipartisan support. The revised statute reduced penalties for certain offenses to misdemeanors and specified that felony charges apply to cases involving actual transmission or intent to transmit HIV through anal or vaginal intercourse. It also included protections for individuals with medically suppressed viral loads.
El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, Roxie Richner, stated that El-Sayed supports the bipartisan reform passed in 2019, which eliminated discriminatory laws. Richner added that El-Sayed, as a public health professional, has worked to support programs preventing disease spread, including HIV. She criticized the Trump administration for defunding organizations involved in frontline care and prevention.
"In the US Senate, Abdul will fight back against Donald Trump and RFK Jr’s attempts to dismantle our public health infrastructure and ensure all Americans have access to the care they need," Richner said.
El-Sayed recently received an endorsement from the Human Rights Campaign, a prominent LGBTQ advocacy group. He has emphasized his commitment to fighting discrimination and ensuring rights are protected.
El-Sayed, who defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, could become the first Muslim senator if elected. His campaign platform includes advocating for "Medicare for all," abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and has included criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which he has described as "genocide."