Georgia Immigration Law Trips Up Doctors And Nurses

Workers in the Georgia secretary of state’s office have fallen behind on licensing applications for nurse

Jim Burress / WABE

Hundreds of health care workers in Georgia are losing their licenses to practice because of a problem created by a new immigration law in the state.

The law requires everyone — no matter where they were born — to prove their citizenship or legal residency to renew their professional licenses.

With too few state workers to process the extra paperwork, licenses for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals are expiring.