More Downstream Ripples from Mass Deportation

By Norman Franklin

Norman Franklin

Perhaps we anticipated there would be consequences from fear-driven emotional impulses to sweep up the immigrant workforce and deport them. Perhaps we understood that the downstream ripples of mass deportation would eventually settle, forcing communities at the bottom of society to adapt to new realities.

Perhaps, like Pavlov's dog, we have adapted our expectations to the ideations of trickle-down theories, believing we will receive something. This theory is threaded throughout political decisions and the economic contractions that follow.

Rural, small-town America will bear the brunt of the cost of "taking their country back." Fearmongering and disinformation dismantle rational thinking, perpetuating the idea of an invasion of brown-skinned people at the southern border.

In a previous column, I examined the impact of mass deportation on agriculture and housing development. The increased price of eggs and the soaring cost of housing have pushed basic necessities beyond the reach of most Americans. This is becoming the new normal.

But there are more contractions on the horizon, particularly in rural communities. Healthcare, and especially rural hospitals, face major adjustments. Rural economies could be decimated by the loss of revenues and the disappearance of essential services.

Immigrants—many undocumented—make up a significant portion of the healthcare workforce. They serve as nurses, aides, clinical and medical assistants, custodial staff, food service workers, and even professionals in key roles. Their deportation threatens not only these positions but also the communities they serve.

These workers pay taxes that support government operations. Their wages and contributions will be sorely missed. The threat of deportation casts a long shadow over healthcare professionals, creating paranoia and emotional distress that diminishes their ability to focus on their demanding jobs.

Even when professionals in the healthcare sector are citizens, their undocumented spouses or family members face deportation. A nurse or clinical assistant performing critical procedures may be preoccupied with the forced absence of loved ones, compromising their focus and effectiveness.

Rural hospitals operate on thin margins, relying heavily on Medicaid, Medicare, and other subsidies for revenue. The loss of immigrant labor will drive up operational costs, compounding financial pressures. Since 2010, more than 140 rural hospitals have closed, and this trend could worsen as immigrant labor dwindles.

The human cost is immeasurable. Hospital closures will force rural residents to travel long distances for urgent care, increasing the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes in time-sensitive emergencies.

Hospitals often anchor rural economies. Their closure would eliminate jobs and decimate local economies, leaving draconian cuts as the only recourse.

Low-income and elderly residents—among the most vulnerable—will face greater challenges in accessing affordable, timely care. Reduced access to preventive care will lead to higher rates of advanced illnesses, driving up overall healthcare costs.

Labor shortages will pressure management to increase wages for remaining staff, further straining budgets. Decreased access to medical care may prompt rural flight, with residents who have the means relocating to urban areas with better healthcare services.

Can healthcare professionals who are spouses or family members of deported immigrants maintain the peak performance required in this skill-intensive sector? Can they balance the emotional weight of these losses while performing life-and-death tasks?

Immigrants play vital roles in delivering quality healthcare in rural America. Many are not undocumented, and few, if any, are criminals. Many come from mixed-status families.

Did we count the cost? Mass deportation will have a staggering effect on industries, the nation, and our rural communities.