As Americans gather for holiday celebrations, many will quietly give thanks for the health care workers who keep their families and friends well: the ICU nurse who stabilized a grandparent, the doctor who adjusted a tricky prescription, the home health aide who ensures an aging relative can bathe and eat safely.
Will most of us notice how many of these professionals are foreign-born? Will we recognize how immigration policies shaped in Washington today could determine whether our families can get care?
As an economist who studies how immigration influences economies, including health care systems, I see a consistent picture: Immigrants are a vital part of the health care workforce, especially in roles facing staffing shortages.
Yet current immigration policies — increased visa fees, stricter eligibility, and enforcement that affects legally present workers living with undocumented family members, in addition to detention of legal residents and U.S. citizens — risk eroding this critical workforce. The timing couldn’t be worse.
America’s health care system is entering an unprecedented period of strain. An aging population, coupled with rising rates of chronic conditions, is driving demand for care to new heights.