(NewsNation) — The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is having an unexpected impact — not at the southern border, but inside nursing homes across the United States.
Facilities nationwide are facing staff shortages, with some forced to close entire wings, leaving elderly residents in limbo.
Foreign-born caregivers make up 30% of the nursing home housekeeping and maintenance workforce, according to data from LeadingAge, an association of nonprofit providers of aging services. That’s compared to 19% of the overall workforce, according to Labor Department data.
More than 40% of home health aides in the U.S. last year were foreign-born, according to unpublished Labor Department data obtained by Axios.
Nursing home staffing crisis deepens
Under the Trump administration’s strict immigration enforcement policies, many of these workers are being deported or detained.
The consequences are already visible. In at least one Florida facility, staffing shortages have forced the closure of entire wings, even while residents were still living there.
The focus on immigration is compounding preexisting challenges in the industry, which was already strained by low wages, heavy reliance on Medicaid and a shrinking workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advocates: Caregivers can’t just be switched
Advocates warn that replacing caregivers isn’t as simple as swapping staff.
For patients with conditions like Alzheimer’s or autism, the caregiver relationship is built over time and can’t simply be replaced.
The White House has argued these jobs should go to Americans. However, industry leaders warn there aren’t enough Americans willing or available to step in and fill the roles.
Older Americans may ultimately bear the brunt
The impact extends beyond nursing homes. Home health aides and personal care assistants, many of whom are immigrants, are also at risk.
In states like California, New York, Florida and Texas — which have the highest immigrant employment in eldercare — more than 40% of these workers are foreign-born, according to the LA Times.
In the end, while the administration’s crackdown targets immigration, it’s older Americans who may suffer the most.
