By: Camila DeChalus ~ Roll Call ~ April 13, 2020
About 29,000 immigrants protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program work as nurses and other health care professionals - amid deportation fears.
Every day for nearly a month, Natalia, a registered nurse in Chicago, has put herself on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, all the while knowing that her days living in the U.S. may be numbered if the Supreme Court decides against upholding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Natalia is one of nearly 29,000 immigrant DACA recipients, or “Dreamers,” working in the health care industry. Many of them work as nurses, lab technicians, or home health aides, and a majority of them work in states with a high volume of coronavirus cases, including California, New York and Illinois, according to the left-leaning Center for American Progress.
Natalia, who was born in Poland and came to the U.S. when she was 5, has worked as a post-surgical nurse for almost three years. But her unit now exclusively serves patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. She provides primary care to these patients, taking their vitals, bathing them and giving out medication.
“We have to go to work every day and take care of these patients,” said Natalia, who did not want to disclose her last name in fear of retribution.
Like other medical staff members, Natalia worries about having enough personal protective gear while assisting patients — and about the health risk she poses to her family members. But unlike other medical personnel, Natalia fears she might not be able to do her job at all one day because of her immigration status.
Flores works in his hospital’s emergency department, treating hundreds of patients with a wide range of symptoms of COVID-19.
Illinois has seen an uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases. There were at least 20,852 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 720 deaths as of April 12, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Flores, who came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 7, said he feels scared about the health risks he faces at work, where there is not enough protective equipment for medical staff. He also fears for his legal future, although he tries to stay positive.
!“I would not be doing what I'm doing if I didn't have the love and the passion for what I do,” he told CQ Roll Call. “I would just hope that the government helps us because we're in the front lines as well. We're not hiding away. We're with everyone and want to see the same type of opportunities and options that everyone else has.”
Source: Camila DeChalus ~ Roll Call ~ April 13, 2020
