Is Trump's immigration crackdown forcing American elderly into crisis? Find out how
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Across the country, families are considering an important question: who will care for our loved ones as they grow older?
The caregiving sector, built through years of effort and shaped by a diverse workforce, is facing new challenges.
For many seniors, access to reliable care has become an increasingly important concern.
Recent shifts in immigration policies could further impact the availability of caregivers, raising questions about how elder care needs will be met in the years ahead.
In the United States, immigrants make up a significant part of the caregiving workforce.
According to the nonpartisan group KFF, immigrants account for 28% of workers in nursing homes and 32% of those providing home care services.
These figures reflect the important role that foreign-born workers play in meeting the growing demand for elder care across the country.
The Trump administration’s stricter immigration policies, including efforts to deport undocumented migrants, have raised concerns within the caregiving sector.
Labor groups, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), have noted that these policies could contribute to ongoing shortages of caregivers as demand for elder care services continues to grow.
In an interview with Newsweek, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Rocío Sáenz addressed the situation, stating, "The crisis in the home care industry is here, whether the elected officials choose to acknowledge it or not. It's no secret that we have a shortage of workers in the care industry and that immigrants play a critical role in filling that gap."
The United States is aging rapidly.
Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 10,000 Americans turned 65 each day, driving an unprecedented demand for elder care services.
Giovanni Peri, an economics professor at UC Davis, described the situation in an interview with Newsweek, saying, "Very few older people in the US can afford home care, and care in facilities will become higher cost and deteriorate. I think this will become much worse in the next four years."
Without immigrant caregivers helping to meet the growing demand, many seniors could face higher costs, longer waiting lists, and fewer options for maintaining their independence.
Responding to these concerns, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "If people want to come to our country to be caregivers for our seniors, they need to do that by coming here the legal way. The days of open borders releasing unvetted aliens into American communities and allowing criminals to terrorize American citizens are over."
She added, "The assertion that the only way we can take care of our seniors is by allowing unvetted illegal aliens and foreigners with criminal records to remain in the country is grossly false and lazy."
Proposed changes to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of immigrants could further impact the caregiving workforce.
Many TPS holders, who have lived and worked legally in the United States for years, are now at risk of deportation, which could create staffing gaps in healthcare and caregiving industries.
According to the American Immigration Council, deporting the entire undocumented population could cost approximately $315 billion, with ongoing annual expenses reaching up to $88 billion.
If current workforce trends continue, the caregiving shortage could result in an economic impact of $290 billion to $500 billion per year by 2030, as vacant care jobs and unpaid caregiving responsibilities affect other sectors.
Adam Lampert, CEO of Manchester Care Homes, explained the potential inflationary impact of deportations.
"Imagine that your neighbor's undocumented caregiver leaves the country—who will fill that position? Your neighbor may proposition my staff, and I either lose my staff or pay them more money to stay. That is the inflationary impact of deportation," Lampert told Newsweek.
He added, "Most undocumented workers in our industry are hired privately. If they self-deport or are deported, it still creates a shortage of workers."
Lampert noted that 80 percent of his caregiving staff are foreign-born, calling them "excellent caregivers" who take on challenging work that many Americans are reluctant to perform.
"If we didn't have immigrants filling these roles, many Americans would go without care or would have at least limited care, and this would absolutely affect their health," he added.
Staffing shortages in the caregiving sector are already common across the country.
As of 2024, nearly every state reports difficulties in filling direct care positions, with more than 710,000 individuals across 38 states on waiting lists for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).
Stricter immigration enforcement could contribute to additional challenges in meeting the growing demand for elder care.
As the number of Americans aged over 65 is projected to rise from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050, the stakes could not be higher.
Will the United States have enough trained caregivers to meet this growing demand?
That question now rests in the hands of policymakers who must find a balance between immigration control and the urgent need for a stable, capable caregiving workforce.
Read next: How to watch Trump’s 2025 joint address to Congress–What else should you expect?
At The GrayVine, we know how important it is to care for our elders with dignity and respect. We invite you to join the conversation. Have you or a loved one experienced challenges finding adequate caregiving support? What are your thoughts on how the US can strengthen elder care in the years ahead?
The caregiving sector, built through years of effort and shaped by a diverse workforce, is facing new challenges.
For many seniors, access to reliable care has become an increasingly important concern.
Recent shifts in immigration policies could further impact the availability of caregivers, raising questions about how elder care needs will be met in the years ahead.
In the United States, immigrants make up a significant part of the caregiving workforce.
According to the nonpartisan group KFF, immigrants account for 28% of workers in nursing homes and 32% of those providing home care services.
These figures reflect the important role that foreign-born workers play in meeting the growing demand for elder care across the country.
According to KFF, immigrants represent a notable share of the US caregiving workforce, including roles in nursing homes and home care services. Image Source: Pexels / Jsme MILA.
Labor groups, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), have noted that these policies could contribute to ongoing shortages of caregivers as demand for elder care services continues to grow.
In an interview with Newsweek, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Rocío Sáenz addressed the situation, stating, "The crisis in the home care industry is here, whether the elected officials choose to acknowledge it or not. It's no secret that we have a shortage of workers in the care industry and that immigrants play a critical role in filling that gap."
The economics of aging and care
The United States is aging rapidly.
Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 10,000 Americans turned 65 each day, driving an unprecedented demand for elder care services.
Giovanni Peri, an economics professor at UC Davis, described the situation in an interview with Newsweek, saying, "Very few older people in the US can afford home care, and care in facilities will become higher cost and deteriorate. I think this will become much worse in the next four years."
Also read: Social Security flagged over 6,000 living immigrants as dead—under Trump team’s direction
Homeland Security addresses impact of immigration enforcement
Without immigrant caregivers helping to meet the growing demand, many seniors could face higher costs, longer waiting lists, and fewer options for maintaining their independence.
Responding to these concerns, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, "If people want to come to our country to be caregivers for our seniors, they need to do that by coming here the legal way. The days of open borders releasing unvetted aliens into American communities and allowing criminals to terrorize American citizens are over."
She added, "The assertion that the only way we can take care of our seniors is by allowing unvetted illegal aliens and foreigners with criminal records to remain in the country is grossly false and lazy."
Also read: Outrage in the streets: This in-depth look at protests against Trump policies explain why
The cost of crackdowns
Proposed changes to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of immigrants could further impact the caregiving workforce.
Many TPS holders, who have lived and worked legally in the United States for years, are now at risk of deportation, which could create staffing gaps in healthcare and caregiving industries.
According to the American Immigration Council, deporting the entire undocumented population could cost approximately $315 billion, with ongoing annual expenses reaching up to $88 billion.
If current workforce trends continue, the caregiving shortage could result in an economic impact of $290 billion to $500 billion per year by 2030, as vacant care jobs and unpaid caregiving responsibilities affect other sectors.
Also read: Judge finds probable cause to find the Trump administration in criminal contempt
The human element
Adam Lampert, CEO of Manchester Care Homes, explained the potential inflationary impact of deportations.
"Imagine that your neighbor's undocumented caregiver leaves the country—who will fill that position? Your neighbor may proposition my staff, and I either lose my staff or pay them more money to stay. That is the inflationary impact of deportation," Lampert told Newsweek.
He added, "Most undocumented workers in our industry are hired privately. If they self-deport or are deported, it still creates a shortage of workers."
Lampert noted that 80 percent of his caregiving staff are foreign-born, calling them "excellent caregivers" who take on challenging work that many Americans are reluctant to perform.
"If we didn't have immigrants filling these roles, many Americans would go without care or would have at least limited care, and this would absolutely affect their health," he added.
Staffing shortages in the caregiving sector are already common across the country.
As of 2024, nearly every state reports difficulties in filling direct care positions, with more than 710,000 individuals across 38 states on waiting lists for Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS).
Stricter immigration enforcement could contribute to additional challenges in meeting the growing demand for elder care.
As the number of Americans aged over 65 is projected to rise from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050, the stakes could not be higher.
Will the United States have enough trained caregivers to meet this growing demand?
That question now rests in the hands of policymakers who must find a balance between immigration control and the urgent need for a stable, capable caregiving workforce.
Read next: How to watch Trump’s 2025 joint address to Congress–What else should you expect?
At The GrayVine, we know how important it is to care for our elders with dignity and respect. We invite you to join the conversation. Have you or a loved one experienced challenges finding adequate caregiving support? What are your thoughts on how the US can strengthen elder care in the years ahead?
