MIAMI — Martha Baker is a registered nurse and the president of SEIU 1991, the union who represents nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals within the Jackson Health System.

“Jackson leadership team tells me there’s about 50 Haitian employees who are subject to be terminated due to the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) being revoked by Washington, and it puts a wear and tear on the remaining staff,” she said. “Missed lunches, double shifts; it puts a financial burden on the hospital.”

In a statement provided to Local 10 News, a spokesperson for Jackson Health System said contingency staffing plans to prevent disruptions to patient care are in place, including overtime.

“You know, to pay overtime alone is silly when you just had somebody yesterday who was well-trained,” said Baker. “At Jackson, with our mission to take care of all residents regardless of your ability to pay, it’s just a shame that we would put more stress on the system. Jackson struggles every day to break even.”

The hospital group added that 50 employees affected is a small fraction of their 15,000 employees.

There was a similar sentiment from the spokesperson for Broward Health who told Local 10 news the 47 staff members impacted there represents less than 1% of their total workforce.

A spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System told Local 10 News they had 27 impacted employees out of 17,000.

“While it may seem like a small number with only 50 being affected, 50 is a big number,” said Baker. “That’s a big number to hire.”

That is especially true for those with specialized nursing skills, like the two she says who worked in the transplant unit.

“Almost similar to an ICU or a step down unit because these patients are so sick and it takes so long, not everybody can work that floor unless you’ve been properly trained,” said Baker. “Two of our Haitian nurses are being sent back.”

She added that filling those vacancies can also take a financial toll.

“They say for every nurse you lose, you lose $100,000, and that’s the cost it takes to hire, to train, to process, to precept, and when they’re what we call non-productive while they’re training for eight to 12 weeks, we’re paying them,” said Baker. “Those dollars add up, all the way back to advertising for a vacancy, and interviewing, adding all the time put together, it’s a significant cost and loss to the system.”

This is happening at a time the Jackson Health System is experiencing patient growth and is actively hiring.

Baker also responded to the the claim that TPS beneficiaries with work permits take jobs away from American citizens.

“That’s a myth in healthcare because there’s too many vacancies in healthcare,” she said. “The problem is, can we survive the shortages were challenged with? So I can’t believe anybody would be turned away from a job in healthcare because some immigrant got it over them, that’s kind of, I think, more politics at its worst. A divisiveness.”

Baker made a plea to those in Congress who have the power to make a difference.

“Do your job,” she said. “We love our Haitian members in our community and at Jackson. It’s disgusting that our senators are allowing this to happen. We are sending our Haitian teammates back to what is probably one the most dangerous countries on Earth today.”

Baker also offered advice for the people being impacted by the loss of TPS.

“Everyone asking, what should I do? Should I show up to work? The main thing I tell them is to speak with your employer,” she said. “You are not allowed to work while unauthorized in the country, but there are different cases, some TPS recruitments who have filed for other forms of relief, so those individuals are a little safer, but it is up to your employer. The employer knows the law, that they cannot have someone working who is unauthorized to do so in the United States. So when I say don’t panic, make sure that you have all your affairs in order, get all your immigration affairs in order, all your personal affairs in order.”

She went on to say that many still feel they are in “legal limbo” because lower courts still need to weigh in on an exact timeline for executing final administrative orders.

“This is not the time to be missing any immigration hearings, any appointments, any ICE check-ins, and I understand there’s a well-founded fear of being arrested, and I can’t guarantee, no attorney can guarantee that that’s not going happen, but I would rather you proceed with the proper procedures than for you to sit here and then there’s a final order of removal because now it just becomes more issues for you,” said Baker.

Full Statement From Jackson Health System:

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