1.30.25 -Lake Charles, La. (KPLC)- Story by Theresa Schmidt
A local physician who has spent decades caring for premature babies previously shared that the routine license renewal process online now includes citizenship-related questions he says weren’t there before.
The change is in line with an executive order by Gov. Jeff Landry just days after he took office last year.
Landry took the oath of office on Jan. 7, 2024. Five days later, he signed a seven-page executive order titled, “Identifying, Quantifying and Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Illegal Immigration on Louisiana.”
That order compelled officials in the state government along with its boards and commissions to make rigorous efforts to identify those in Louisiana illegally and determine those who may have committed serious crimes. Within four months, top officials were to report on how they had responded to the order.
Fast-forward a year, and Dr. Juan Bossano found himself annoyed that he was asked to provide proof he was a U.S. citizen. Bossano has been a citizen since 1998 and said proof of citizenship has never been part of the yearly online renewal process.
“It’s not like a lot of people interpret my Facebook (post) like I was in jeopardy of being deported. It was not that. It was just the fact and atmosphere nowadays of distrust about any physician, professional, or any person who is not born in this country,” said Bossano.
The executive order details Landry’s increased expectations for greater efforts to combat costs and problems stemming from illegal immigration. As required by the Governor’s order, the executive director of the State Board of Medical Examiners enumerated how his agency carries out its duties and verifies license requirements.
7News asked the medical board if the citizenship requirements in the online renewal process were new. They’ve not yet specifically answered our question.
Governor Landry’s immigration executive order and the medical board’s response to the order can be found below.