Kaiser extends DACA nurse’s leave for another 30 days, USCIS approves renewal application

With only hours to spare, union nurses represented by California Nurses Association successfully forced Kaiser to back off from firing a DACA nurse colleague because the federal government has been extraordinarily slow to renew her work authorization. The nurse, who works at Kaiser San Francisco Medical Center, received notice yesterday from Kaiser management that she had another month to get her DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) employment application renewed, pushing the termination deadline now to June 15. 

The registered nurse also received notice today that her DACA renewal was approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  

“It was ludicrous that nurses had to publicly protest like this when it was a no-brainer for Kaiser to protect its own workers,” said Monica Holguin, RN at Kaiser San Francisco. “Kaiser has shown its true colors and nurses are angry it would side with Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda instead of its own dedicated nurses.”

“I am so grateful to have the support of my union,” said the DACA nurse who has asked to remain anonymous. “My union has been so supportive during this extremely stressful experience. I’m going to fight for other DACA workers so they won’t have to go through such an ordeal.”

The union held a protest on May 11, demanding that Kaiser protect DACA nurses and wait for their work documents to be approved instead of terminating their employment. The nurse has already been placed on unpaid administrative leave, but termination is much more serious and final, resulting in loss of seniority, position, benefits, and more.

The union also met with members of Congress who committed to contacting USCIS about the DACA nurse’s application. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Sen. Alex Padilla had each contacted USCIS on the RN’s behalf. Padilla also mentioned the nurse in his remarks at the DACA press conference at the Capitol on May 12 (video here).

Now that the nurse’s DACA application has been renewed and Kaiser has extended her leave, the union expects her to be reinstated. 

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.