Warning of the devastating consequences of terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants who are employed in the U.S. legally in critical health care roles, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and over 100 members of Congress in a September 29, 2025 letter to the Departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and Health and Human Services highlight TPS holders’ disproportionate representation in the health care workforce, especially in roles such as home health aides, nursing assistants, and personal care aides. In 14 footnote-filled pages, the authors underscore the risk to care quality and access—particularly for older adults—if these workers are removed from the workforce.
In addition, the lawmakers cite data demonstrating that over 570,000 TPS holders contribute $21 billion annually to the U.S. economy and pay $5.2 billion in taxes.
The letter closes with a request that the agencies respond with an assessment of the impact of these TPS terminations on the health care workforce and Americans’ access to health care.
LeadingAge assisted with the development of this letter and assisted in obtaining sign-ons. We have been actively advocating on this issue since earlier in the year, working closely with Congressional offices to share member impact stories and elevate the voices of providers facing workforce disruptions as a result of TPS terminations. Member examples from Florida, Virginia, and Georgia helped shape the letter’s narrative. For example, Goodwin Living in Virginia reported that 65 staff members—legally present under TPS or humanitarian parole—are at risk of losing their ability to work, threatening care for nearly 4,000 older adults. Similarly, Toby & Leon Cooperman Sinai Residences in Florida shared that 8% of their workforce could be lost, with ripple effects across their entire campus.
LeadingAge will continue to advocate for protecting the immigrant workforce, which is essential to aging services.