This week, the ATS joined the Council of Medical Specialty Societies in a letter opposing the Trump Administration’s recent Executive Order suspending the issuance of immigration visas, including for many international medical graduates (IMG’s). The Trump Administration released a June 22, 2020 order suspending the issuance of certain temporary visas, including H-1B and some J-1 visas, many of which are held by IMG’s, until the end of 2020, deeming these and other visa holders a risk to the U.S. labor market following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CMSS sent the letter to the secretaries of state, health and human services, labor and homeland security urging the Administration to exempt all health care professionals and researchers from the order, noting that non-U.S. IMG’s represent more than 25 percent of the U.S. physician workforce. The letter states, “Maintaining a robust health care workforce in the United States that is capable of addressing the health needs of Americans is heavily reliant on international medical graduates who are citizens of other nations. It is critical not to endanger patient care and our research enterprise by closing our borders to skilled health and science professionals during this pandemic and beyond.”