In California, the elder care workforce is facing a growing crisis as many caregivers worry about losing their jobs due to immigration policies. A caregiver from Panorama City, known only as B., rides three buses daily to care for an elderly woman suffering from dementia. At 60 years old, she fears being caught by federal agents and deported. Losing her job would be devastating, as she sends money back to her family in the Philippines.
The elder care sector is becoming more critical as California’s population ages. By 2040, 22% of the state’s residents will be 65 or older. Yet, with fewer people willing to work in long-term care, the need for caregivers has never been greater. Experts warn that if caregivers are deported, it could create a significant gap in the workforce.
Many caregivers are undocumented, and the political climate has made their situation even more precarious. Aquilina Soriano Versoza, director of the Pilipino Workers Center, notes that many caregivers are afraid to pursue justice for wage theft or other issues because they worry it could expose them to deportation. This fear has led some workers to give up and return to their home countries.
Conditions for caregivers were already tough before the current administration. Many live in cramped quarters and make low wages, often without health insurance. Josephine Biclar, a caregiver in her 70s, shares a small studio apartment with two other caregivers. They have divided the space with room dividers, and now four women live there due to rising costs.
B. shares a room with another caregiver for $400 each, which is a significant portion of her income. She works three days a week and spends long hours caring for her client, which includes cooking and bathing. The current immigration crackdown has made it hard for her to find additional work, leaving her unable to send money home for the past two months.
The Trump administration has ended programs that offered temporary protected status and work authorization, leading to fears that the workforce will shrink even further. Many employers are now asking for work authorization documents, which they didn’t do before, and this has left caregivers feeling vulnerable and exploited.
As the need for elder care grows, experts warn that without a change in policy, many aging Americans may struggle to find the care they need. The current situation raises serious questions about how society will support its elderly population if caregivers continue to be driven away by fear and uncertainty.