A new federal policy on immigration could prove beneficial to long-term care providers, who increasingly have pointed to immigration reform as a vital step on the path toward long-awaited stability in the caregiver workforce.
President Biden on Tuesday introduced by executive order an action that will allow certain undocumented immigrants who are married to US citizens, as well as their children, to stay in the country and work legally.
According to the president, the average undocumented spouse eligible under this new policy has lived in the United States for 23 years.
Under the new policy, noncitizens who have been in the country for at least 10 years as of June 17 and are married to a US citizen, and their children, can apply for permanent residence without leaving the country first. If the application is approved, then the immigrant would have up to three years to apply for a green card and receive a temporary work permit without fear of deportation in the intervening time.
Although this policy shift is expected to face legal challenges, it could bring benefits for skilled nursing, senior living and home care providers.
“As this policy unfolds, operators should stay informed and consider how they can tap into this newly accessible workforce,” wrote John O’Connor, editorial director for the McKnight’s brands, in a blog post. “Engaging with local immigrant communities, offering training programs and providing support for new employees navigating their path to legal residency could be strategic steps toward bolstering staff numbers and improving care quality.”
Previously, undocumented spouses of US citizens were required to go back to their home country to fill out the paperwork to obtain long-term legal status.
“They have to leave their families in America with no assurance that they’ll be allowed back into the United States, so they stay in America but in the shadows, living in constant fear of deportation without the ability to legally work. All this even though, under the law today, they are eligible for long-term legal status,” Biden said.
This and other actions promulgated by Biden on Tuesday “will promote family unity and strengthen our economy, providing a significant benefit to the country and helping US citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together,” the White House said.
“This is a very important measure to move our country forward. This initiative by President Biden will help over 500,000 spouses of Americans to hopefully become citizens and to continue to be part of the fabric of America — continue to make this country live up to its potential,” said state Rep. Danilo Burgos (D), chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus.
