Trump Travel Ban Causes Uncertainty for Foreign Born Physicians and Rural Healthcare

The travel ban is on hold because the states of Washington and Minnesota sued the Trump administration, claiming that, among other things, the ban harmed residents and companies in their states. The IT and healthcare industries are the most likely to suffer from the ban, according to the lawsuit.

A recent National Public Radio (NPR) broadcast and article highlight the problems the travel ban and other harsh immigration policies could create for our healthcare system. Nearly 25% of our physicians are foreign-born and in some specialties, the percentage is much higher. Quoted in the article is industry spokesperson, Dr. Andrew Gurman:

And the U.S. medical system depends on doctors like Tauseef, says Dr. Andrew Gurman, president of the American Medical Association. He worries that if President Trump’s executive order on immigration takes effect, it will mean parts of the country that desperately need medical care may not have a doctor.

“International medical graduates have been a resource to provide medical care to areas that don’t otherwise have access to physicians,” he says. “With the current uncertainty about those physicians’ immigration status, we don’t know whether or not these areas are going to receive care.”

Read the NPR article, “Trump Travel Ban Spotlights U.S. Dependence On Foreign-Born Doctors.”

Listen to the broadcast