Trump Ends Visa Freeze That Exacerbated Foreign Doctor Shortage

The Trump administration lifted a visa processing freeze for foreign physicians, ending a months-long halt that had sidelined thousands of doctors and exacerbated staffing shortages at hospitals across the country.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services said physician applications would resume normal processing toward a final decision, according to a statement from the agency. Screening and vetting requirements would continue to exceed those of the prior administration, including expanded background checks, biometric screening and social media reviews, USCIS said.

The rollback is part of a broader reckoning over the administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown. In January, the State Department paused issuing immigrant ...