A federal immigration enforcement surge has rattled Minnesota's disability caregiving workforce, which was already short-staffed, service providers said. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported their accounts in a story Disability Scoop published on April 21, 2026.
Workers caught in the enforcement surge
Immigrants make up roughly 30% of the long-term care workforce, according to Care Providers of Minnesota. The story follows an asylum-seeking couple with valid work permits who worked in Twin Cities group homes. Immigration agents detained the husband in December 2025, and neither is working now. Julie Johnson, who leads the disability provider MSS, said agencies were just rebuilding from pandemic shortages when Medicaid cuts, the immigration surge and the fraud spotlight hit. She warned the combination could destabilize the system.
Why this matters for providers and DSPs
Many agencies rely on immigrant and refugee DSPs. When enforcement drives those workers out, remaining staff pick up extra shifts and people lose familiar support. Providers may need retention plans and clear guidance for staff about their rights.