US Resumes Immigration Processing For Doctors Amid Wider Application Delays
US resumes doctors’ immigration processing while others await clearances.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has quietly lifted a freeze on immigration applications for foreign medical doctors from several high-risk countries, offering temporary relief to physicians facing visa and green card uncertainties. However, thousands of other immigrants, including researchers, entrepreneurs and scientists, remain affected by the broader immigration restrictions.
Among those impacted is Libyan-born physician Faysal Alghoula, who works as a pulmonologist and intensive care doctor serving rural communities across Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Alghoula, who has lived in the United States since 2016, said he must renew his green card to continue treating nearly 1,000 patients in underserved areas. His current visa is due to expire in September if his application is not approved.
The exemption for doctors follows months of lobbying by physicians, medical organisations and immigration lawyers, who warned that the immigration freeze could worsen healthcare shortages in rural and low-income communities. Foreign-trained doctors make up a significant portion of the American healthcare workforce, particularly in regions struggling to recruit specialists.
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Despite the policy adjustment, uncertainty remains over whether the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can process pending applications quickly enough to meet immigration deadlines. Applicants also fear potential detentions or denials during immigration interviews amid the administration’s broader crackdown on immigration enforcement.
The restrictions stem from immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration that halted the review of visa and green card applications for individuals from dozens of countries considered high-risk. Additional pauses were later extended to citizens from more than 75 nations over concerns related to security screening and possible reliance on public assistance. Countries affected include Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela.
Immigration attorneys and advocacy groups argue that the measures have left many legal immigrants unable to work, renew documentation, obtain health insurance or travel internationally. Some applicants have also turned to federal courts seeking intervention after prolonged delays in their cases.
One such applicant, Iranian doctor Zahra Shokri Varniab, filed a lawsuit after her green card application stalled during the freeze. Although a federal judge ordered immigration authorities to review her case, the application was ultimately denied. Government lawyers cited inconsistencies regarding whether she intended to pursue medical practice or research, an explanation she disputes.
The continuing uncertainty has also affected highly skilled immigrants working in science and technology sectors. Many report financial hardship due to delayed employment authorisation approvals, while applicants from countries such as Iran fear returning home because of ongoing regional conflict and political instability. Critics of the policy argue that the prolonged pauses are disrupting careers, families and essential sectors of the American economy while creating widespread anxiety among legally residing immigrants.
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