Oakton Health Center

1. The slow pace of processing visas for medical students, residents, and physicians by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is creating concern about future healthcare access. The delays could affect patient care and increase wait times nationwide, particularly in rural and underserved areas where foreign-born physicians often practice. A significant portion of residents in U.S. family medicine programs are international medical graduates. Reforms are needed before the new academic year starts on July 1.

2. USCIS has implemented an enhanced security vetting process for immigration cases, causing delays across multiple case types. The new protocol requires resubmission of fingerprint information collected before April 27, 2026, as part of an expanded background check process. While the agency’s decisions have largely been put on hold until these checks are completed, USCIS has made an exemption for foreign physicians, enabling their applications to resume processing. Despite this, foreign nationals still face extended delays and increased scrutiny.

3. The Trump administration recently made an exemption for medical doctors with pending visa or green card applications, which could benefit thousands of foreign-trained doctors working in the U.S. However, there is uncertainty about whether the USCIS will be able to process these applications in time to meet their deadlines, and the exemption does not guarantee that the visas or green cards will be renewed. The freeze continues to affect many from multiple high-risk countries, and they may face difficulties working, acquiring health insurance, or getting a driver’s license, potentially influencing them to move to other countries.

4. After the Trump administration quietly adjusted its policy to enable foreign doctors to obtain visas to work in the U.S., many more international applications are expected to proceed. The administration aimed to ‘close security gaps and prevent fraud’ through improved vetting processes and checks. Foreign-trained physicians make up a significant part of the U.S. healthcare workforce, and the country is predicted to face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 by 2036.

5. USCIS updated guidelines on immigration medical exam guidelines elicited concerns from healthcare workers and immigrants that the information could be used for more than public health purposes. Some immigrants are hesitant to seek care for fear that their records could affect their immigration status, potentially leading to fewer vaccinations or delayed treatments. The Department of Homeland Security insists the changes were to standardize screening procedures and will still abide by federal privacy laws.

6. Green card holder Young Joo Ko from South Korea was arrested over allegations of immigration medical documentation fraud, claiming the accused had falsified forms for a fee, indicating medical examinations of those applying for Green Cards had taken place when they had not. This is part of a Trump administration crackdown on immigration-related fraud.

7. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is concerned about reports that USCIS is reviewing over 200,000 refugees who entered the U.S. between January 2021 and February 2025, halting their applications for permanent residence. Many see this review as unprecedented and have called for the policy to be reversed and for the U.S. to reaffirm its commitment to a strong refugee program. These reviews could destabilize refugees’ lives, hinder their access to lawful permanent residence, harm employment prospects, and undermine their dignity and stability. The USCRI and over 60 other organizations have urged the U.S. Government to uphold its commitment to welcome and protect refugees.