We Must Support Immigrant Caregivers
Catholic health care has long affirmed that every person deserves to age with dignity, independence, and compassionate support. With advances in science and public health and higher standards of living, Americans are living longer than ever. As people age, many will need extra support — help with daily activities, comfort during illness, or skilled medical care. Older adults should be able to live their later years surrounded by care that honors their worth - whether at home, in assisted living, or in long-term care facilities. But providers across the country continue to face severe staffing shortages.
An often-overlooked truth is that immigrants play an essential role in meeting the nation’s caregiving needs. According to KFF, immigrants make up 28% of the direct care workforce in long-term care, and their contributions are even more pronounced in home care, where they represent nearly one in three workers. Every day, these caregivers embody compassion as they help millions of older adults bathe, dress, manage medications, and remain connected to their families and communities. With the number of people aged 65 and older projected to reach 65 million in 2060 – a 70% increase from 2020 – we have a responsibility to honor the dignity and well-being of a rapidly aging population by ensuring a strong, stable, and compassionate long-term care workforce.
Yet many of the workers who make this care possible face growing uncertainty because of misguided immigration policy.
As Catholic health care providers, we advocate for the humane treatment of all people, whatever their immigration status, and for sensible immigration reform. While Catholic teaching, recently reinforced by Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops , affirms that nations have a right to secure their borders and enforce their immigration laws, they must do so in a way that respects the inherent dignity of all persons, including immigrants.
Recent steps to end Temporary Protected Status and restrict access to asylum go too far by arbitrarily revoking legal status for immigrants who have followed a lawful process — and in many cases are contributing critical value to U.S. communities, including serving as long-term caregivers.
We have seen accelerated deportations for people with deep ties to their communities and workplaces who followed the law, a fracturing of the caregiving workforce, and significant disruption for families and communities that rely on these essential care providers.
At a time when providers are already struggling to fill open positions, we are concerned these policies risk driving experienced caregivers away and leaving nursing homes and home care providers unable to meet residents’ needs. Public policy should value and protect the people who uphold the dignity of older adults and sustain a workforce our communities simply cannot afford to lose.
Losing foreign-born workers is not the only challenge to maintaining an adequate workforce to care for our aging population. Chronic underfunding, particularly through public programs like Medicaid, makes it difficult to offer competitive wages and benefits. High rates of part-time work, unpredictable schedules, and limited opportunities for career advancement further hinder providers’ ability to recruit and retain direct care workers, the backbone of the long-term care system. Looming cuts to Medicaid will only make this worse for states already struggling to support older adults and people with disabilities. States are left with painful tradeoffs: care for fewer people, scale back critical services, or cut funding for facilities struggling to provide quality care.
Families looking for care for aging parents or grandparents will feel the impact. They may face longer waits, fewer choices, and the fear of moving loved ones farther from home. Support that helps people age safely in their communities could erode, putting greater pressure on the health system. To ensure that communities have access to quality care, public policy must strengthen the aging workforce rather than weaken the foundation on which states, providers, and families depend.
For older Americans to thrive, we must confront these realities with thoughtful, forward-looking solutions. Policymakers should adopt immigration policies that respect the dignity of all people and avoid shrinking the pool of qualified workers. Elected officials should also support policies that strengthen career pathways within the caregiving profession and ensure care is adequately funded. These steps are vital to sustaining a system that respects life at every stage and supports caregivers who serve with skill, compassion, and dedication.
Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association.
