A second U.S. Appeals Court has blocked President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, and already healthcare organizations are asking the Supreme Court not to issue a stay of the injunctions against it.
A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on Monday to uphold a freeze on the travel ban, saying Trump exceeded his authority in suspending the issuance of visas to residents of six Muslim majority countries.
The action Monday is another blow to the travel ban, which healthcare leaders say could have a detrimental impact on an industry that depends on foreign doctors and medical students to staff hospitals, clinics and research labs.
The Trump administration has already sought a Supreme Court review of a decision issued last month by the United States Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia.
On Monday, 21 healthcare organizations joined in filing an amicus brief arguing the Supreme Court should not issue a stay of the district court injunctions on the travel ban, according to an announcement from the Association of American Medical Colleges.
“For decades, health professionals from other countries have filled critical gaps in the physician workforce, especially in rural and other medically underserved communities,” said Darrell G. Kirch, the group’s president and CEO.
“Suspending entry of highly talented and skilled medical and research professionals into the United States on the basis of their nationalities would ultimately undermine the health security of our nation, especially as we face a looming physician shortage.”
AAMC Submits Amicus Brief in Response to Administration’s Request for Stay in #TravelBan Cases https://t.co/fbnbJikjCK pic.twitter.com/wrsiTx9AjA
— AAMC (@AAMCtoday) June 12, 2017
RELATED: Federal judges block Trump’s latest travel ban
Trump has made two attempts at a travel ban, both blocked by courts. His revised travel ban reduced the list of countries affected to six—removing Iraq, while keeping Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Syria. It also applied only to those seeking new visas.
The revised order did nothing to allay the fears of some of the groups that represent physicians, hospitals and medical students that the order that restricts travel to the U.S. will have a negative impact on the healthcare community.