Trump's action to terminate Temporary Protected Status sparking unease among healthcare professionals caring for the ill and elderly

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the Trump administration, has been given the green light by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Hondurans, among others. This decision, set to take effect on September 8, 2025, revokes legal protections for approximately 60,000 TPS holders from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal, potentially leaving them at risk of deportation.

The potential impact on the healthcare sector is significant, with many TPS beneficiaries, including Honduran nationals, employed as essential workers in healthcare and related fields in the U.S. The termination of TPS could lead to a loss of legal work authorization for these workers, resulting in decreased workforce availability in hospitals, nursing homes, and caregiving roles. This could disrupt care continuity, particularly in underserved communities that heavily rely on these workers, and increase strain on healthcare providers and institutions already grappling with labor shortages.

TPS recipients are often described as law-abiding, hardworking individuals who contribute positively to American communities and economies, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare. The removal of TPS thus risks both humanitarian consequences for the individuals and broader public health implications, namely reduced availability of trained healthcare workers.

Despite the administration's emphasis on the temporary nature of TPS and the need for immigration system integrity, critics argue that many TPS holders are long-term residents deeply integrated into their communities and workforces. The legal process is ongoing, with appeals pending, but the current court decisions allow DHS to move forward with these terminations.

In the midst of this, stories of individual TPS holders like Aurora, a nurse from Honduras, who has been living and working in Los Angeles for about 35 years, highlight the human side of the issue. Aurora, who took care of elderly and disabled people in their homes, has no legal status when she first started working in the U.S., but later received Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to a hurricane in Honduras. She expresses a preference to take her chances in the U.S. over returning to Honduras due to poverty, gangs, and corruption.

Roberto Oronia, a U.S. citizen born in Los Angeles, shares similar concerns about the stress caused by the current immigration situation, which he refers to as an infection of the psyche. He works as a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home and worries about the potential consequences of anxiety on the people they care for, as caregivers might be less attentive when stressed.

SEIU Local 2015, Aurora's union, has been pushing lawmakers for solutions regarding the lack of a legal pathway for immigrants. The union's president, Arnulfo De La Cruz, expresses frustration with people saying immigrants should do things the right way and get in line, stating that it's not so simple. He explains that there is no legal pathway for immigrants to gain permanent status, with the exception of a few difficult options.

As the decision to end TPS for Hondurans faces a court challenge, it is currently active only until November 18. During the COVID-19 pandemic, care workers were recognised as essential, but now, some of them face the message to go home. This situation has sparked outrage and concern within the healthcare sector and among immigrant rights advocates, who argue that the termination of TPS could have far-reaching implications for both the individuals affected and the communities they serve.

Trump's action to terminate Temporary Protected Status sparking unease among healthcare professionals caring for the ill and elderly