Immigration Crackdown Reduces Nursing Home Staff Nationwide

Nursing homes across the U.S. are facing severe staffing shortages due to President Donald Trump's revocation of work authorizations for immigrants under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program expanded during the Biden administration to protect workers from countries like Venezuela and Haiti. Facilities such as A.G. Rhodes in Atlanta report losing employees with revoked TPS and express concern over an increasingly shrinking pipeline of immigrant workers, who make up a significant portion of caregiving staff nationwide. Immigrants account for more than a quarter of the roughly 4 million direct care workers, including nursing assistants and home health aides, and their roles are critical as demand for caregiving surges with the aging Baby Boomer population. Industry leaders note additional challenges, including employees who avoid work due to fears of immigration raids despite legal status, and a decline in new job applicants. Executives warn that the current losses are just the beginning of deeper impacts on long-term care facilities, which are already struggling to recruit and retain staff. The crackdown on immigration is therefore exacerbating an existing workforce crisis in elder and disability care sectors.