On National Doctor’s Day, remember this: not every doctor is celebrating.
Some are spending today in fear, stripped of dignity, watching everything they built begin to unravel, not because they failed or broke the law, but because a USCIS pause is excluding them based on where they were born (Nigeria, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Cuba, and others).
These are physicians who followed the law, were vetted, did everything the right way, and believed in the promise of America. They completed residency and fellowship, passed their board exams, trained here, paid taxes, served veterans, staffed rural hospitals, and cared for underserved communities for years.
And now they are being told that none of it matters, simply because of the country of their birth.
Instead of celebrating, many are wondering whether, in a few weeks, they will still be able to feed their children, keep health insurance, remain in their homes, or hold on to careers they spent decades building.
That is the reality behind the white coat for thousands this year.
#LiftThePause
A heart surgeon friend from Syria told me this.
He’s been in the U.S. legally for 8 years, and spent those years caring for patients at the VA and in rural/underserved communities.
If you were born in Syria and you’re not a U.S. citizen, this is what “legal immigration” can look like right now:
✅ You can work until your current visa expires.
❌ After that, you may not be able to renew it.
❌ You may not be able to switch to another work visa (H-1B, O-1, etc.).
❌ You wont get a green card, even if you are eligible and have approved petition.
❌ You wont receive the work permit or travel document that the law normally says you’re entitled to while you wait for physical green card.
And it doesn’t matter if you:
– Marry a U.S. citizen
– Already have an approved EB-1 (“Einstein visa”)
– Have a National Interest Waiver
You can do everything “right,” pay thousands of dollars, pay taxes, submit every document… and still you will get no decision.
No expedite option for you.
Not even with major surgeries and clinics scheduled.
Not even with urgent letters from hospitals or senators.
So you think: “Fine. I’ll leave.”
But once you leave, two separate bans will block you from coming back even if an employer or U.S. citizen spouse or kids petitions for you.
So just by virtue of being born in Syria, you almost have no workable legal path to stay and work in the U.S. as an immigrant or nonimmigrant.
Immigration lawyers please advise: is this accurate representation, or is he misinformed and catastrophizing?
#Immigration #PhysicianWorkforce #PatientCare #AAMC #ACP
يا عالم الغيبِ! ذنبي أنتَ تعرفُه
وأنت تعلمُ إعلاني.. وإسراري
وأنتَ أدرى بإيمانٍ مننتَ به
علي.. ما خدشته كل أوزاري
أحببتُ لقياكَ.. حسن الظن يشفع لي
أيرتُجَى العفو إلاّ عند غفَّارِ؟
تركناهُم فما عادوا
و عُدنا مثلما كنّا
طوينا ليلنا سهَرًا
نُداوي الهمّ و الغمّا
رجعنا بعدَما ابتعدوا
كأنّا لم نكُن منّا
بحثنا عنهُمُ دهرًا
فضَاع العُمر إذْ ضِعنا
سعَينا في تراضِيهم
فمَا لانوا و ما لِنّا
حنينُ القلب يسألهم
أما اشتقتم، كما اشتقنا ؟
اقسمت بالله اني لا اكلمها
لانها لا تفي بالعهد والذمم
وإن اتت تدعي حبا ساهجرها
ولن ابالي بما القاه من الم
فما لبثت سوي يوم وليلته
ورحت اسال عن كفاره القسم