The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and 23 national medical organizations are calling for expedited visa processing for physicians and medical trainees.
A federal policy freezing visa extensions and work permits for physicians from 39 countries is disrupting care delivery across the U.S., impacting exam rooms, emergency departments and residency programs, including in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) is following this issue closely because it directly affects our members. Family physicians are on the front lines of primary care in Minnesota, and international medical graduates are a vital part of that workforce. As the largest physician specialty organization in Minnesota, the MAFP is committed to advocating for policies that strengthen the physician workforce and protect access to care for all Minnesotans.
On April 8, 2026, the AAFP joined 23 national medical organizations in sending a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, requesting national interest exceptions and expedited processing for physicians and medical trainees.
What’s Happening
Since late 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has placed adjudicative holds on pending visa and work authorization cases for nationals of 39 countries. The freeze covers H-1B extensions, employment authorization renewals, green card applications and other benefits, even when physicians have paid premium processing fees that normally guarantee a decision within 15 business days.
Physicians who entered the United States legally, passed extensive background checks and have been caring for patients for years are being forced off the job through administrative delay, not individualized adjudication.
A New York Times article published April 7, 2026, illustrated the human cost. Ezequiel Veliz, MD, a Venezuelan-born family physician and AAFP member, was detained by Border Patrol agents in South Texas after losing his hospital position due to the freeze. Veliz had been treating patients with chronic illnesses in a federally designated physician shortage area and was named Resident of the Year at UT Health Rio Grande Valley in 2025.
By the Numbers
- 23% of licensed physicians in the U.S. are international medical graduates (IMGs).
- 64% of foreign-trained physicians practice in medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas.
- Nearly 21 million Americans live in areas where foreign-trained physicians account for at least half of all physicians.
- The U.S. faces a projected shortage of 86,000 physicians by 2036, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
- More than 100 physicians have been identified as directly affected. Some are already on administrative leave; others face job loss as work permits expire in the coming months.
Why This Matters in Minnesota
According to AAMC 2024 workforce data, 25.9% of Minnesota’s family physicians are IMGs. That is roughly one in every seven family physicians in the state, many of whom are managing chronic disease, providing prenatal care and staffing emergency departments in communities that already struggle to recruit family physicians.
Minnesota has built one of the most intentional state-level systems in the country for integrating IMGs into its health care workforce. The Minnesota Legislature established the International Medical Graduates Assistance Program in 2015 to create pathways into practice in rural and underserved areas. The Minnesota Department of Health administers a J-1 Visa Waiver Program that can sponsor up to 30 physicians per year in designated shortage areas. And programs like the University of Minnesota’s BRIIDGE clinical preparation program and dedicated IMG residency tracks at Hennepin Healthcare represent years of state investment. The federal visa freeze puts that investment, and the communities these physicians serve, at risk.
The Call to Action
The AAFP-led coalition is requesting four actions:
- Establish a formal medical national interest exemption to protect physicians from blanket adjudicative holds once required security checks are completed.
- Implement mandatory expedited processing for physician cases, aligned with academic start dates and patient care obligations.
- Provide clear guidance to adjudicators and consular officers that physicians warrant heightened processing priority.
- Improve transparency and communication so physicians, residency programs and hospitals can get clear information on case status and timelines.
Continued Support
The AAFP letter is the latest in a series of support efforts. In 2022, the AAFP spoke out in support of IMGs and highlighted how important international doctors are to family medicine.
Signs of Progress
On April 30, 2026, USCIS updated its March 30 screening and vetting alert to include medical physicians among the case categories eligible for lifted adjudicative holds. The change was made without a formal announcement.
While this is a meaningful step, it remains narrow: there is no external process for physicians or employers to request that a hold be lifted, and decisions are made internally by USCIS on a case-by-case basis. The change came just weeks after the AAFP-led coalition letter called for exactly this kind of targeted relief, suggesting that sustained advocacy pressure from medical organizations and bipartisan lawmakers is having an effect. The MAFP will continue to monitor this situation as it develops.
What MAFP Members Can Do
The MAFP wants to hear from you if you or a colleague has been affected by the visa freeze, or if your practice or residency program is experiencing disruptions. Member stories help us advocate effectively at the state and national levels.
- Speak Out using the AAFP SpeakOut tool to contact your representatives.
- Read the full joint letter on the AAFP’s website.
- Stay informed through the MAFP’s legislative updates and advocacy communications.
