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US lifts hold on immigration applications for doctors, but leaves others waiting
The change could ease physician shortages, but it does not guarantee renewals for doctors whose green card and visa cases remain under review.
Last week, the Trump administration quietly made an exemption for medical doctors with pending visa or green card applications, potentially allowing case processing to resume.
The Trump administration previously stopped reviewing applications for citizens of more than 75 countries, citing public assistance concerns following the shooting of National Guard troops by an Afghan citizen.
Foreign-Trained doctors disproportionately serve rural areas, a priority for physician organizations; Libyan Dr. Faysal Alghoula cares for roughly 1,000 patients in southwestern Indiana.
Despite the exemption, Alghoula remains fearful of scheduling appointments due to reports of detentions, while many immigrants had previously filed federal lawsuits demanding Department of Homeland Security decisions.
The pause remains in effect for thousands of others, including researchers and entrepreneurs from 39 countries such as Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela.