Haitian healthcare workers and NYC system under threat from TPS protection end
NYC's healthcare workforce faces disruption as Haitian TPS protections near end. The post Haitian healthcare workers and NYC system under threat from TPS protection end appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.
Black News 
Healthcare workers, labor leaders, and elected officials came to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East headquarters on July 10 to speak out against the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals. Speakers warned it could destabilize New York City’s healthcare system and displace families who have lived here for years.
In New York City, many Haitian immigrants work in hospitals and nursing homes as certified nursing assistants, housekeepers, and dietary workers, and with home care agencies. As caregivers, they help older adults and people with disabilities bathe, dress, eat, move safely, take medication, travel to appointments, keep homes clean, avoid isolation, and remain connected to family life.
“This is a cruel, heartless, and inhumane policy that will rip parents away from their children and devastate whole communities,” said Andy Cassagnol, executive vice president of 1199SEIU. “It will also exacerbate the existing worker shortages in nursing homes and home care programs. Who will care for our seniors and individuals living with disabilities if TPS ends?”
TPS allows people to stay in the U.S. and work legally when their home countries are at war or dealing with natural disasters. Haiti was first designated for TPS status after the 2010 earthquake and has faced political and economic turmoil and had to deal with gang violence ever since.
On June 25, in a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to terminate TPS for Haitian and Syrian nationals.
Kevin Thomas, president & CEO of New York State Association of Health Care Providers, said, “Washington may see immigration policy. We see canceled visits, disrupted relationships, exhausted family caregivers, and vulnerable New Yorkers wondering whether someone will be there tomorrow. That is the reality these decisions create.” Credit: 1199 SEIU photo 
1199SEIU Certified Nursing Assistant Genevieve Artamin has been working as a caregiver for 38 years. Credit: 1199 SEIU photo
“Washington may see immigration policy. We see canceled visits, disrupted relationships, exhausted family caregivers, and vulnerable New Yorkers wondering whether someone will be there tomorrow. That is the reality these decisions create,” said Kevin Thomas, president & CEO of the New York State Association of Health Care Providers.
The Kaiser Family Foundation, which provides information about national health issues and healthcare policy research, found that immigrant workers have become integral to long-term care. Immigrants are 30% of direct care workers in long-term care settings, including nursing assistants, personal care aides, and home health aides. The leading countries of origin for immigrant long-term care workers are Mexico at 14%; the Dominican Republic and the Philippines, both at 7%; and China, Jamaica, and Haiti at 6 % each. In New York City, the Center for Migration Studies of New York estimates that immigrants make up 57% of the city’s healthcare workforce and 73% of its home health aide and personal care aide workforce, making the city especially vulnerable to disruptions in immigrant workers’ legal status.
Genevieve Artamin, a certified nursing assistant and 1199SEIU union delegate, said, “I’ve been doing this work for 38 years, and I came here today to speak for the many nursing home workers with TPS status who cannot be here with us.”
Another TPS holder, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “I work at a nursing home where I’m a housekeeper. I get up at 5 a.m. every morning and I take two buses to work to clean the rooms of the residents. I give my heart. These residents are like my grandmother. I want to stay here in New York where I can be safe and care for my residents. I cannot return to Haiti. It is not safe. I’m afraid that I would be killed if I return.”
New York State Nurses Association President Nancy Hagans said she is a witness to the contributions immigrants make to the healthcare system — and she knows what happens when immigrant patients delay their own care because of fear of going to hospitals. “We are in solidarity with Haitian TPS holders and all our immigrant communities,” Hagans said. “NYSNA nurses care for all our patients, regardless of immigration status, and I am proud to reaffirm our commitment to not only care for them, but to advocate for immigrants to receive the dignity, respect, and justice all residents of this country deserve.”ospitals. “We are in solidarity with Haitian TPS holders and all our immigrant communities,” Hagans said. “NYSNA nurses care for all our patients, regardless of immigration status, and I am proud to reaffirm our commitment to not only care for them, but to advocate for immigrants to receive the dignity, respect, and justice all residents of this country deserve.”
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