Trump’s immigration policy has forced hundreds of foreign doctors to leave U.S. hospitals, exacerbating a critical physician shortage. The policy, which froze visa extensions and work permits for nationals from 39 countries, has disrupted care in rural areas and underserved communities. Over 65,000 physicians are currently missing from the U.S. workforce, a gap foreign medical graduates helped fill. Ezequiel Veliz, a top-performing Texas family physician, was removed from his residency after his Venezuela-linked visa was blocked, leaving patients without consistent care. Similar stories unfolded for Faysal Alghoula, a Libyan pulmonologist treating veterans in Indiana, and Kasra Moein, an Iranian researcher on heart disease studies.

The American Medical Association urged an exemption, warning that 7,000 foreign-trained doctors selected annually to address shortages face expulsion, risking ER overcrowding and delayed treatments. Hospitals in states like Arkansas and New York report staffing crises, with some physicians redirected to universities or facing deportation. Legal challenges led by attorney Andrew Wizner argue the policy ignores the “national interest” of these medically trained immigrants.