When We Desperately Need Nurses, Why Are We Losing Them to Deportation?

At a time when our country is struggling to recruit and retain enough nurses to care for patients, another troubling issue deserves our attention: experienced, dedicated nurses facing detention and possible deportation.

This is not about being a Republican or a Democrat. It is about recognizing the contributions of nurses who have built their lives here, cared for our patients, paid taxes, raised families, and become valuable members of our healthcare system.

Consider the story of Monica Ryadi, a registered nurse who works with cardiac patients at Riddle Hospital in Pennsylvania. Monica came to the United States legally from Indonesia when she was just nine years old. She grew up here, became a nurse, married an American citizen, and is raising their three-year-old son.

In September, Monica and her family were traveling to Disneyland when immigration agents detained her at Los Angeles International Airport. She spent 15 days in detention before a federal judge ordered her release.

Although Monica has legal authorization to work and protection against deportation to Indonesia, her immigration status does not completely prevent removal to another country. She now faces that possibility while wearing an ankle monitor that her attorney says interferes with some of her nursing duties.

Think about that. Here is a nurse who has dedicated her career to caring for others, yet her ability to continue providing that care is now uncertain.

Meanwhile, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez has introduced the Reimagining Safety Act, legislation that would abolish ICE, restructure the Department of Homeland Security, and redirect federal resources toward community services, including healthcare. National Nurses United has endorsed the proposal.

The legislation raises important questions about immigration enforcement, public safety, government resources, and the role of federal agencies. Reasonable people may disagree about the best approach to immigration policy. But there is another question that deserves consideration: What happens to our healthcare system when we lose experienced nurses who are already caring for our communities?

As a nurse and an attorney, I understand the importance of following the law. I also understand that immigration cases can involve complicated legal circumstances that cannot be reduced to a headline. But I believe we should carefully consider the human and healthcare consequences of these decisions.

We invest years in educating and training nurses. We depend on their clinical judgment, compassion, and experience. We know how difficult it is to replace an experienced nurse, especially in specialized areas such as cardiac care.

And when a nurse leaves the bedside, the impact reaches far beyond that individual. It affects coworkers who must absorb the workload, hospitals struggling with staffing, and, most importantly, patients who depend on skilled nursing care.

Monica’s story is a reminder that behind every immigration case is a human being, often with a family, a career, and a community that depends on them.

Regardless of where we stand politically, shouldn’t we be asking how our immigration policies affect patient care and whether there are appropriate ways to retain qualified, experienced nurses who have demonstrated their value to our communities?

We need thoughtful conversations that recognize both the rule of law and the very real need for nurses at the bedside.

Because when we lose a good nurse, we potentially lose far more than an employee. We lose experience, compassion, and someone our patients may desperately need.

And that should matter to all of us.