U.S. immigration officials have quietly lifted a hold on green card and visa applications for doctors from three dozen countries, but thousands of other applicants remain in limbo.
Doctor's Dilemma
Libyan Dr. Faysal Alghoula must renew his green card to continue caring for roughly 1,000 patients in southwestern Indiana. However, he has been unable to do so since the Trump administration stopped reviewing applications for people from several dozen countries it deemed high-risk. His current visa will expire in September if his application is denied.
Last week, the administration made an exemption for medical doctors with pending visa or green card applications, potentially allowing Alghoula's case to move forward. Physicians organizations and immigration attorneys had sought this change for months, citing widespread shortages and a high proportion of foreign-trained doctors who disproportionately work in underserved areas, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Alghoula, a pulmonologist and ICU doctor serving a mostly rural population spanning parts of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, highlighted the impact: "It is about four to five months wait to get the pulmonologist here."
Uncertainty Remains
Applicants and immigration attorneys say it is unclear how big a difference the exemption will make. The change means doctors can have their cases reviewed, but it does not guarantee their green cards or visas will be renewed. It is also unclear whether U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services can process those applications in time to meet immigration deadlines like Alghoula's. Alghoula expressed distrust, fearing detention at his upcoming interview: "I'm still scared to go to my interview." He has lived in the U.S. since 2016.
Meanwhile, the pause remains in effect for thousands of others, including researchers and entrepreneurs from 39 countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, and Venezuela. While on hold, many cannot legally work, obtain health insurance, or get a driver's license. If they leave the U.S., they will not be allowed back in.
Broader Crackdown
The Trump administration decided last year to stop reviewing green card and visa applications for people from a list of countries deemed high-risk. This year, it stopped reviewing visa applications for citizens of more than 75 countries over concerns they would seek public assistance. These moves came amid a broader crackdown on immigrants.
The pause followed the shooting of two National Guard troops by an Afghan citizen, which the administration said highlighted "what a lack of screening, vetting, and prioritizing expedient adjudications can do to the American people." The Department of Homeland Security did not answer questions about the pause or recent changes but said it wants to ensure applicants are properly screened after determining the prior administration failed to do so.
Immigration attorney Greg Siskind of Memphis, Tennessee, commented: "There are lots of bans and lots of pauses that are happening right now. It is all about making life miserable for people who are here legally so they will choose other countries."
Doctors Affected
It is unclear how many doctors have been affected by the pause, according to a spokesperson for the American Academy of Family Physicians, who said several doctors have reached out for help. Some doctors have already been denied before the exemption.
Iranian Dr. Zahra Shokri Varniab came to the U.S. three years ago for radiology research. She was waiting for a green card to attend a residency program, but her application got stuck in the pause. She filed a lawsuit demanding an answer, and a federal judge ordered immigration officials to review her case. They did—and denied her. The 33-year-old doctor believes it was retaliation for her lawsuit: "I feel completely confused." U.S. government lawyers wrote that her application contained inconsistencies about whether she plans to become a practicing doctor or researcher. She said she plans to do both. The exemption does not appear to apply to her since her case was decided, but she is seeking relief in court.
Impact on Immigrants from War Zones
Immigrants holding prestigious jobs in science and technology said they currently cannot work due to the pause, waiting for employment authorization documents. Some are running out of money for rent and groceries and worry their careers could be thwarted if forced to leave the country. Those from Iran are especially worried about returning home during the ongoing war with U.S. and Israeli forces. They cannot regularly reach family due to the Iranian government's internet blackout or count on them for financial support.
Kaveh Javanshirjavid came from Iran seven years ago to study for a doctorate in agriculture. He was supposed to start a lab job in January but needs employment authorization, and his application is on hold. The 41-year-old is borrowing from friends to pay rent and relying on his wife's doctorate stipend for basic necessities. However, she is also Iranian and will need work authorization to get a job after graduating this summer. "The whole of my life is on hold," he said.
