Trump administration lifts a hold on immigration applications for doctors, but leaves others in limbo

Physicians organizations and immigration attorneys had been fighting for the exemption, citing a widespread shortage of doctors. Libyan Dr. Faysal Alghoula must renew his green card to continue caring for roughly 1,000 patients in southwestern Indiana, but hasn’t been able to since the Trump administration stopped reviewing applications for people from several dozen countries it deemed high-risk.Alghoula’s current visa will expire in September if his application is denied.But last week, the administration quietly made an exemption for medical doctors with pending visa or green card applications, possibly allowing Alghoula’s case to move forward. It’s a move physicians organizations and immigration attorneys had sought 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.The lack of doctors is top of mind for Alghoula, a pulmonologist and Intensive Care Unit doctor who serves a mostly rural population spanning parts of Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.“It is about four to five months wait to get the pulmonologist here,” he said.Still, applicants and immigration attorneys say its unclear how big a difference the exemption will make. The change means doctors can have their cases reviewed, but it doesn’t guarantee their green cards or visas will be renewed. It is also unclear whether U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will be able to process those applications in time to meet immigration deadlines like Alghoula’s.Alghoula said he doesn’t trust the administration will approve him due to numerous stories about immigrants being detained at appointments to renew their paperwork like the one he has next month.“I’m still scared to go to my interview,” said Alghoula, who has lived in the U.S. since 2016.Meanwhile, the pause remains in affect for thousands of others including researchers and entrepreneurs from 39 countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela. While they’re on hold, many can’t legally work, get health insurance or a driver’s license. If they leave the U.S., they won’t be let back in.