On Monday, the Trump administration ended the Temporary Protected Status once offered to Haitian immigrants. With the end of TPS, comes the end of the employment authorization for those Haitian immigrants.
The Florida Health Care Association expressed concern about the loss of those workers. And the largest union representing Florida healthcare workers denounced the change.
FHCA, which represents long-term care facilities, says an estimated 35,000 Haitian immigrants work in Florida’s healthcare system, including many certified nursing assistants and registered nurses in long-term care.
Overall, there are over 330,000 Haitian immigrants in the nation with TPS. It is the second largest TPS group behind Venezuelans.
In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month, the FHCA said: “The loss of even a small percentage of these experienced caregivers would be detrimental to residents’ continuity of care as well as providers who are already struggling to fill essential positions.”
The healthcare group urged DHS to consider the “unique” workforce needs of long-term care and minimize disruptions to essential caregiving.
Florida is already facing a nursing shortage. The Florida Hospital Association estimates the state could face a shortfall of 60,000 nurses by 2035.
Margarette Nerette is vice president of Long-Term Care South for 1199SEIU, the largest union of healthcare workers in Florida. She denounced a recent Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for ending Haitian TPS.
“This partisan Supreme Court has failed our communities again by allowing the Trump Administration to strip TPS protections from Haitians here in Florida,” she said.
“This will have a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of healthcare workers and their families now facing possible deportation to a gravely dangerous situation in Haiti, as well as for many more nursing home patients dependent on their care across the state,” Nerette said.
There are more TPS groups scheduled to be stripped of status. On July 30, about 5,000 Ethiopians could lose their government protection.
