Immigration Crackdown Threatens Long-Term Healthcare Industry

Strategic Insights -

A crackdown on immigration by the White House is exacerbating workforce shortages in the long-term healthcare industry, particularly in nursing homes and care facilities. This has significant implications, as these facilities rely heavily on foreign-born employees to care for the rapidly growing elderly population and those with disabilities. Advocates and experts warn that the quality of care is under threat due to the inability to fill vacant positions.

Key Takeaways:

  • Foreign-born workers make up 30% of the nursing home housekeeping and maintenance workforce, compared to 19% of the overall workforce.
  • Over 41% of home health aides in the U.S. last year were foreign-born, 22% of nursing assistants, and 28% of personal care aides.
  • Suspension of refugee programs has made it challenging for care facilities to fill vacancies, with some facilities reporting empty wings and struggling to find staff.
  • Case studies, such as a young autistic man in Virginia who lost his caregiver to deportation, highlight the importance of maintaining a stable workforce.
  • Research has shown that areas with more immigrant labor were better able to weather the pandemic and offered better quality care.

Statistics:

  • Foreign-born workers make up 30% of the nursing home housekeeping and maintenance workforce (LeadingAge data).
  • 19% of the overall nursing home workforce is foreign-born (Labor Department data).
  • 41% of home health aides in the U.S. were foreign-born last year (Labor Department data).
  • 22% of nursing assistants were foreign-born (Labor Department data).
  • 28% of personal care aides were foreign-born (Labor Department data).

Sources:

  • Axios (https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/immigration)
  • LeadingAge (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/forbrn.pdf)
  • Labor Department (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/laborl.pdf)
  • New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/us/immigration-green-card-crackdown-trump.html)
  • Harvard Medical School (research on immigrant labor and quality of care)