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https://digbysblog.net/2025/07/19/grandmas-moving-in-kids/Grandmas Moving In Kids!
Published by digby on July 19, 2025

Heres another kitchen table issue that the Democrats could talk about that pulls the whole ugly Trump mess together: democracy, immigration, the economy, health care and your own family:
Providers that operate nursing homes and home care agencies say they have lost staff members as the Trump administration has moved to end deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants with temporary legal status. Republican critics of those programs say that they have allowed migrants to stay longer than intended, and that ending them restores integrity in the countrys immigration system.
But the long-term care industry already faces persistent challenges in recruiting workers. Providers say the reduction in staff could threaten the quality of services they are able to offer to the nations senior population. Some said they would have to raise wages to attract more workers to fill positions, and they were set to pass on cost increases to people receiving care.
The issue underscores the critical role that foreign-born workers play in the long-term care industry. Immigrants make up about 28 percent of the work force directly providing that care, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data from KFF, a health policy research group. In comparison, foreign-born workers account for about 19 percent of the entire U.S. civilian labor force.
Katie Smith Sloan, the president of LeadingAge, an association representing nonprofit aging services providers, said the Trump administrations immigration policies were already starting to disrupt facilities across the country as providers moved to terminate some caregivers in recent weeks. She said some employees had stopped showing up at work out of fear for themselves and their families
You see? This grotesque immigration policy IS a kitchen table issue and Democrats should talk about it. People need to understand that deporting all these people or scaring them into hibernation is hurting Americans and their families! We need these people as much as they need us.
Whos going to do this work??? The imaginary 35 year old guy living in his mothers basement sucking on that sweet government health care? I dont think so. Besides, hes going to be busy picking strawberries.
This is just infuriatingly short-sighted. America has long had a tacit (and frankly exploitative) relationship with undocumented people who came to the U.S. to perform the labor that Americans are unable to unwilling to do. Thats just the reality. Apparently, nobody wants to admit that so we are in this delusional death spiral where we are hurting ourselves so that we can perform some unAmerican blood and soil ritual for the onanistic satisfaction of creeps like Trump and Stephen Miller.
Good luck America. Theres a boatload of old people coming down the pike and theyre coming home. Better buy a big supply of Depends before those tariffs kick in.

efhmc
(15,716 posts)Diamond_Dog
(37,650 posts)tonkatoy8888
(126 posts)"Apparently, nobody wants to admit that so we are in this delusional death spiral where we are hurting ourselves so that we can perform some unAmerican blood and soil ritual for the onanistic satisfaction of creeps like Trump and Stephen Miller"
I do love brevity and a good quote and even the Russian judge gives you a 10.
I have pondered this dilemma since the beginning of this idiotic foray into mass deportation. Is the average America so bone numbingly stupid that they don't realize how integral migrants (lawful and undocumented) are to a functioning economy? Are they really so gullible they believe the wishcasting from the Trump administration?
I have to think there is going to be hell to pay when all of these unbelievably stupid, cruel, and counterproductive policies begin to be felt at the level of the ordinary consumer.
But then again, I've been wrong before and based on my interactions with crazy relatives they will find a way to rationalize these policies or shift the blame to someone else.
babylonsister
(172,235 posts)
They're not 'average' Americans, they're racist and xenophobic, and just plain intolerant.
oasis
(52,505 posts)