A Libyan physician who treats approximately 1,000 patients in rural southwestern Indiana faces an uncertain future as he awaits renewal of his green card under immigration policies that have frozen applications from dozens of nations considered high-risk.
Dr. Faysal Alghoula’s current authorization expires this September if officials reject his renewal request.
However, federal authorities recently created a special exception for physicians awaiting visa or green card decisions, potentially enabling Alghoula’s case to proceed. Medical associations and immigration lawyers had advocated for this change for months, pointing to severe physician shortages and the fact that foreign-educated doctors often serve communities with limited medical access, data from the National Library of Medicine shows.
The doctor shortage concerns Alghoula deeply, as he works as a lung specialist and ICU physician serving rural communities across Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.
“It is about four to five months wait to get the pulmonologist here,” he said.
However, immigration lawyers and affected individuals express uncertainty about the exemption’s actual impact. While doctors can now have their cases evaluated, approval isn’t guaranteed. Questions also remain about whether immigration officials can process these applications before critical deadlines like Alghoula’s arrive.
Alghoula expressed distrust of the administration’s intentions, citing reports of immigrants being detained during renewal appointments similar to his upcoming interview.
“I’m still scared to go to my interview,” said Alghoula, who has resided in America since 2016.
The application freeze continues affecting thousands of others, including scientists and business owners from 39 nations such as Iran, Afghanistan and Venezuela. During this suspension, many cannot legally work, obtain health coverage or driver’s licenses. Leaving the United States means they cannot return.
Federal officials implemented the review suspension last year for applicants from countries labeled high-risk, later expanding it to cover visa seekers from over 75 nations due to concerns about potential public assistance dependency. These actions align with broader immigration restrictions under the current administration.
The suspension followed a shooting incident involving two National Guard members by an Afghan national, which officials said demonstrated “what a lack of screening, vetting, and prioritizing expedient adjudications can do to the American people.”
The Department of Homeland Security, which supervises immigration agencies, declined to address questions about the suspension or physician exemption but stated via email that proper applicant screening is essential after determining previous administrations failed in this area.
“There are lots of bans and lots of pauses that are happening right now,” said Greg Siskind, a Memphis-based immigration lawyer. “It is all about making life miserable for people who are here legally so they will choose other countries.”
The exact number of affected physicians remains unknown, though an American Academy of Family Physicians representative confirmed multiple doctors have contacted the organization seeking assistance.
Prior to the exemption, numerous immigrants pursued federal litigation demanding decisions on their pending cases.
Among them was Iranian physician Dr. Zahra Shokri Varniab, who arrived in America three years ago for radiology research. While awaiting green card approval to enter a residency program, her application became trapped in the suspension. After filing suit for a decision, a federal judge ordered immigration authorities to review her case.
Officials reviewed and rejected her application. The 33-year-old doctor suspects retaliation for her lawsuit motivated the denial.
“I feel completely confused,” Shokri Varniab said.
Government attorneys argued in court documents that Shokri Varniab’s application contained contradictions regarding her plans to practice medicine versus conduct research. She maintains she intends to pursue both paths.
Since her case received a decision, the physician exemption may not apply to her situation, though she continues seeking court intervention.
Highly skilled workers in science and technology report inability to work during the suspension while awaiting employment authorization paperwork. Some describe depleting funds for housing and food while fearing career destruction if forced to leave America.
Iranian nationals face particular anxiety about returning home amid ongoing conflicts with U.S. and Israeli forces. They report difficulty contacting family due to government internet restrictions and cannot depend on relatives for financial assistance.
Kaveh Javanshirjavid arrived from Iran seven years ago to pursue doctoral studies in agriculture. Though scheduled to begin laboratory work in January, he requires employment authorization and his application remains frozen.
The 41-year-old borrows money from friends for rent while depending on his wife’s graduate stipend for essentials. However, this arrangement’s sustainability is questionable since she also needs work authorization after completing her degree this summer as another Iranian national.
“The whole of my life is on hold,” he said.
