Immigration in Crisis: How New U.S. Policies Are Impacting Physicians and Patient Care

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of new U.S. immigration policies on physicians and patient care.

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, I sit down with immigration attorney and former leader of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Sarah Peterson, to break down the rapidly evolving U.S. immigration landscape and its profound impact on healthcare. With over 600 policy changes introduced in a short period, international medical graduates (IMGs), who make up nearly 25% of the U.S. physician workforce, are facing unprecedented uncertainty. From visa adjudication pauses to staggering new fees and executive orders targeting specific countries, these policies are leaving many physicians in legal limbo, unable to work, renew visas, or progress toward permanent residency. In this conversation, we explore: - What the latest immigration policies actually mean in practical terms - How visa and green card processing delays are affecting physicians already in the U.S. - The ripple effects on underserved communities and healthcare access - Real-world stories of physicians caught in the system - The controversial $100,000 H-1B fee and its implications for hospitals - Why these policies could worsen the U.S. physician shortage - What advocacy groups and institutions are…

People in this episode

Host: Khalil Diab

Guest: Sarah Peterson

Topics covered

• immigration policy
• healthcare impact
• physician workforce
• visa issues
• patient care
• advocacy

Keywords

• immigration
• physicians
• healthcare
• visa
• green card
• policy changes
• H-1B fee
• physician shortage
• advocacy groups

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Immigration Lawyers Association

Places: U.S.

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