The end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, a decision sanctioned by the Supreme Court, is creating anxiety for both immigrant caregivers and the elderly and disabled individuals who depend on their services.
Care homes and home health agencies across the U.S. are preparing for potential workforce shortages as TPS holders face the possibility of losing their legal right to stay in the country. This situation adds to existing strains in the caregiving industry, which has already been affected by other immigration policy shifts.
For many clients, these caregivers are more than just employees; they are seen as family members who provide essential daily support. Solange French, 91, expressed her deep concern about losing Martha Nelson, her home health aide from Haiti, whose presence is critical for her morning routines, meals, and personal care.
"She's with me all the time," French said. "Life would be impossible."
Similarly, Katy Sanchez, who lives in a group home for disabled individuals in Nanuet, New York, highlighted the potential devastation if the home loses its Haitian caregivers. The Arc Rockland, which operates the home, stands to lose 19 caregivers with TPS, in addition to others lost in previous immigration changes.
Legal and Administrative Uncertainty
The Supreme Court's ruling in favor of ending TPS has led to confusion regarding work authorization. While U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services affirmed the expiration of TPS, some legal experts and labor unions argue that work authorization may remain valid pending lower court decisions.
This uncertainty has prompted some employers to terminate TPS holders, leading to distress among their clients. Anna Fischbein, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor in Florida, lost her long-time Haitian home health aide after Jewish Community Services of South Florida terminated 17 aides whose TPS had lapsed.
"I lost not only a lady working for me," Fischbein said, her voice breaking. "I lost a friend."
The Role of Immigrant Caregivers
Immigrants are disproportionately represented in caregiving roles. According to PHI, a nonprofit focused on the caregiving workforce, one-third of home health aides are immigrants. These caregivers often provide a crucial lifeline, preventing institutionalization for those living at home and ensuring the well-being and dignity of individuals in care facilities.
Simone Smith, vice president of human resources at Cabrini of Westchester, noted that immigrants make up about 75% of their workforce. She described a sense of "hopelessness" among TPS holders at the facility as they await further guidance.
Challenges for TPS Holders
For Haitian TPS holders, the prospect of losing their status presents a difficult choice: attempt to remain in the U.S. without authorization and live in fear of deportation, or return to Haiti, a country struggling with gang violence and poverty, which many view as a potentially life-threatening option.
One Haitian man working at a Brooklyn nursing home, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, expressed his fear and desire to simply work and contribute. "I pay tax to the country. I'm a good person. ... All I want is to work. When you work, you are a person."
Martha Nelson, who came to New York after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, found work in caregiving after previously running a butcher shop. She has cared for Solange French for about three years, a bond that has grown into a deep friendship.
Nelson and French, who arrived in New York decades apart, represent the long-standing connection between immigrants and the U.S. French, who achieved success in business and raised a family, expressed sadness at the perceived shift in attitudes toward immigrants.
"America is a good country," French said. "But it has changed."
As the situation remains uncertain, Nelson and French continue their daily routine, aware that each day could be Nelson's last working legally in the U.S. Nelson carries her work authorization documents with her and prays for a resolution, worried about her own future and the impact on French should she have to leave.