As the United States continues to grapple with the complexities of its immigration system, a set of intertwined crises is quietly reshaping American society—from the struggles of mixed-status families fearing separation, to the mounting pressures on the elder care workforce, and the political sparring over border security and transparency. This Thursday, October 2, 2025, a virtual event titled "The Forgotten Family Separation Crisis" will shine a spotlight on the often-overlooked realities faced by millions of Americans whose lives are shaped by these policies.
The event, scheduled for 1:00 PM Eastern on Zoom, features Ashley DeAzevedo, Executive Director of American Families United, and Anna Lekas Miller, an award-winning journalist and author of the acclaimed 2023 book Love Across Borders. Their conversation aims to educate both the public and policymakers about the urgent need for immigration reform—one that honors family unity and justice, rather than forcing impossible choices between love and legal status.
Mixed-status families, where one partner is a U.S. citizen and the other is undocumented or at risk of deportation, face daily struggles that go far beyond headlines and political talking points. According to the event announcement, these families must navigate "an immigration system that too often forces them to choose between love and legal status, between staying together and staying in the country they call home." The current policy environment, the organizers argue, often makes it impossible for U.S. citizens to build a life with their spouse in their own country, or to make decisions about where to live based on family needs rather than citizenship status.
Ashley DeAzevedo has led advocacy efforts since 2017 to keep these families together, building a grassroots network of members across the country and pushing for congressional action. "We believe in the sacred bond of family and the power of everyday people to create extraordinary change," DeAzevedo has said, emphasizing the contributions undocumented spouses and parents make every day—providing for their families, working essential jobs, and serving as active community members.
Anna Lekas Miller brings both rigorous research and personal insight to the conversation, having reported for outlets like The Daily Beast and CNN. Her book Love Across Borders documents the human cost of immigration policy for couples with different citizenship statuses, giving voice to those whose stories are too often lost in political debate. Miller’s work, as highlighted by the event, "dispels common myths about mixed-status families and illuminates the daily realities they face."
Yet, while advocates like DeAzevedo and Miller focus on the human stories behind the headlines, the political debate over immigration remains as heated as ever. Just this week, on September 29, Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee sent a sharply-worded letter to President Biden, demanding greater transparency about what he calls a "historic surge of illegal immigrants" at the U.S.-Mexico border and the associated risks of COVID-19 transmission.
"It is time to level with the American people regarding the nature of this crisis," Hagerty wrote, criticizing the Biden administration for failing to provide adequate information about the number of migrants entering U.S. communities and for allegedly muzzling border officials. According to The Washington Examiner, Hagerty’s letter included 17 pointed questions, ranging from the number of border officials infected with COVID-19 by migrants, to the overall count of border crossings, and whether illegal criminals are being arrested and deported. Hagerty’s concerns are amplified by data from the National Sheriffs' Association, which claims that up to 50% of migrants are infected with COVID-19, and by estimates that nearly one million migrants could cross the border this year alone.
Hagerty’s letter also highlights a perceived contradiction: "You criticize American state and local leaders for relaxing pandemic mandates on Americans to allow businesses to open and Americans to return to work, while simultaneously releasing unknown numbers of non-Americans—some of whom are currently COVID-positive—into American communities." This political pressure underscores the deep divisions in Washington over how best to balance public health, border security, and humanitarian concerns.
Beyond the politics and personal stories, immigration policy is also having ripple effects on the nation’s ability to care for its most vulnerable citizens. As of September 29, 2025, immigrants make up about 28% of the long-term elder care workforce in the U.S., including nearly a third of home care workers, according to research from KFF. Yet, recent years have seen a dramatic increase in enforcement and deportation efforts, with daily Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests up 286% in June 2025 compared to the previous year, as reported by The Guardian.
These policies have sown fear among immigrant workers, reducing workforce availability and retention, especially in border regions like San Diego. Ocean Van, owner of a California-based in-home services agency, told The Guardian, "From what we hear at community meetings and from families in San Diego, the fear of ICE is very real. Even those who are legal residents worry about what might happen." This anxiety has made it harder to fill roles and retain talent, with some caregivers losing work authorizations, forcing agencies to scramble for replacements.
The consequences for American families are significant. Elder care jobs are demanding and traditionally low-paying, averaging $15.22 per hour—well below the $20.07 average across all sectors. Benefits like health insurance and retirement plans are less common, and wage disparities persist across gender and race lines. Christina Bremner, founder of Purple Door Finders, an online platform for senior living, notes, "Caregiving is a very difficult job. It requires a tremendous amount of empathy. It's hard work. It's labor-intensive."
With the number of Americans aged 85 and over projected to reach 13.7 million by 2040—a 111% increase from 2022—the demand for elder care is set to skyrocket. The average annual cost for a semiprivate nursing home room is now $100,740, while a year of home care (six hours daily, five days a week) costs $42,120. Rising costs, coupled with workforce shortages, threaten to make quality care even less accessible for aging adults and their families.
Policy experts and care providers are calling for reforms, including higher wages, funding for community-based elder care, and faster visa and work authorization pathways for trained caregivers. "We need faster visas and work authorization pathways for people who are already trained and already working in caregiving," said Van. However, the Department of Homeland Security has not commented on whether any policy changes are planned to address these challenges.
For individuals, the best advice is to plan ahead: start researching care options early, interview providers about workforce stability, and seek assistance from elder care attorneys or professionals. As elder care attorney Harry Margolis points out, "Our system is pretty inadequate as it is." Without meaningful policy reform, families will continue to bear the brunt of a system stretched to its limits by demographic change and political gridlock.
This week’s virtual event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from those living at the intersection of these crises—families, advocates, and experts who understand that immigration policy is not just about borders or statistics, but about the everyday lives of millions of Americans. As the nation debates how to move forward, their voices may prove more important than ever.