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Supreme Court Ruling Threatens Care for Elderly and Disabled as Haitian Caregivers Face Deportation
NEW YORK – For 91-year-old Solange French, daily life depends heavily on the devoted care of Martha Nelson, a Haitian home health aide who helps with everything from breakfast preparation to doctor’s appointments. But now, with a recent Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many Haitian immigrants, Nelson’s legal right to stay in the U.S. is in jeopardy-leaving French and countless others deeply concerned about who will fill this vital role.
“It’s like losing a family member,” French says, describing the bond she shares with Nelson, who has been by her side nearly every weekday for the past three years.
This ruling impacts not only Haitian caregivers but also the vulnerable elderly and disabled populations who rely on them. Across the country, care homes and home health agencies are bracing for significant staffing shortages as hundreds of TPS holders face the possibility of losing work authorization and being forced to leave the country.
At The Arc Rockland in New York, a group home for disabled residents, 19 caregivers with TPS could be lost, adding to the 20 others affected by prior immigration policy changes. “If they are forced to leave, it would be devastating,” says resident Katy Sanchez.
Legal Uncertainty and Workforce Strain
Last month, the Supreme Court upheld the administration’s authority to terminate TPS, a program that has protected over 350,000 Haitians and thousands of others from countries including Syria. Although immigration officials temporarily extended TPS for some, the Department of Homeland Security has since declared the program’s end, prompting confusion and fear.
Many employers, anxious to comply with the law, have already begun terminating TPS workers. In Sunny Isles, Florida, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Anna Fischbein lost her longtime Haitian caregiver when Jewish Community Services of South Florida ended services for 18 TPS holders. “I lost not only a lady working for me,” Fischbein says through tears, “I lost a friend.”
Immigrants make up about one-third of home health aides nationwide, according to nonprofit PHI. For those depending on care, the loss of these workers threatens their independence and well-being. “They are the first people our residents see in the morning and the last ones at night,” explains Simone Smith, HR vice president at Cabrini of Westchester nursing home, where eight Haitian employees with TPS await their fate.
Facilities are scrambling to find replacements, relying on staffing agencies and overtime from existing workers to fill gaps. Yet the disruption stretches beyond economics-many caregivers are viewed as family, trusted advocates, and vital companions to those they serve.
A Difficult Choice for Haitian Caregivers
For Haitian TPS holders, losing protected status forces a heartbreaking decision: remain in the U.S. without legal work options, risking detention, or return to a homeland rife with violence and poverty.
“I’m afraid all the time,” says a Brooklyn nursing home worker who asked to remain anonymous. “I pay taxes here. I just want to work and be a person.”
A Personal Bond at Risk
In Queens, Martha Nelson stands watch as Solange French enters her home, a testament to a relationship that transcends employer and employee. Both women journeyed from Port-au-Prince decades apart, each seeking opportunity in America. Nelson, once a butcher shop owner in Haiti, has become a lifeline for French, tending to her daily needs and providing companionship.
“America is a good country,” French reflects, “but it has changed.”
With the threat of losing her job looming, Nelson clutches her work authorization daily and prays for a resolution. “It makes me feel depressed,” she says. “It could be difficult for her without me.”
As the nation grapples with immigration policy, the human stories behind the headlines reveal a pressing challenge: how to care for society’s most vulnerable when those who care for them face an uncertain future.