Health care facilities and families in New York and Florida report staffing shortages following the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals. On July 27, nonprofit care providers began laying off Haitian workers who lost their legal authorization to work in the United States. According to analysis by Princeton University researcher Philip Connor, approximately 21,000 of the 330,000 Haitians previously covered by TPS worked as caregivers and nursing assistants.
The U.S. government originally granted humanitarian protection to Haitians following a 2010 earthquake. The Trump administration ended the program this year, citing improved conditions in Haiti. However, the United Nations reports that 1.4 million people remain displaced in the country, which has not held an election since 2016 and is currently facing significant gang violence. In June 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the administration to proceed with ending these protections.
In Rockland County, New York, the nonprofit Jawonio terminated the contracts of nearly two dozen Haitian employees last month, representing 7% of its total workforce. CEO Randi Rios-Castro stated that these roles, which involve providing round-the-clock care for disabled patients for approximately $20 per hour, are among the most difficult to fill. Families of patients at the facility, such as the parents of 43-year-old Richie Rosen, have reported taking over duties like transportation as staff pickup extra shifts to cover the departures.
The scale of the impact is concentrated in states with high Haitian populations, specifically Florida and New York. In Florida, which has a large and growing elderly population, Emmett Reed of the Florida Health Care Association stated that the loss of these workers could create a "ripple effect" impacting local hospitals and the broader healthcare infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has rejected claims of industry reliance on these workers, with a spokesperson stating that the program had functioned as "de facto amnesty."
What happens next depends on legal appeals and potential legislative intervention. Rep. Mark Lawler (R-NY) is currently working with local organizations to explore alternative legal statuses for affected workers in his district. While some former TPS holders may return to Haiti voluntarily, those who remain in the U.S. without authorization face the risk of arrest and deportation. Advocacy groups like the New York State Nurses Association continue to hold vigils to highlight the impact of staffing vacancies on patient care standards.