DHS changes course, eases restrictions for foreign doctors impacted by travel ban

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quietly changed a policy last week, exempting certain foreign physicians from processing holds that have been jeopardizing their ability to practice medicine in the United States.

The Trump Administration introduced a travel ban in June 2025 and expanded the policy in December to include full restrictions on 19 countries and partial restrictions on 20. The expansion took effect on January 1, 2026, resulting in processing holds or delays affecting visa extensions, work permits, and green card applications for many citizens of the 39 impacted countries, according to The New York Times.  Some foreign physicians were placed on administrative leave, while others remained uncertain about their ability to practice medicine in the U.S.

Industry stakeholders have continued to raise concerns about the travel ban’s impact on healthcare, particularly how it exacerbates the current physician shortage across the U.S. Most recently, in a letter to DHS and the U.S. Department of State, over 20 doctor associations urged federal agencies to remove barriers preventing international medical graduates from entering or lawfully remaining in the country to continue training and practicing medicine. The letter outlined how crucial these individuals are to the country’s healthcare system, noting that 23% of licensed physicians in the U.S. are foreign-trained, and 64% of these physicians practice in medically underserved or health professional shortage areas. Further, nearly 21 million U.S. citizens live in areas where at least half of physicians are foreign-trained.

Although the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has yet to make a formal announcement about the policy change, DHS confirmed to The New York Times that applications involving medical physicians would continue to be processed.