Immigrant labor vital to Colorado hospitals is at risk
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Hospital workers who are immigrants comprise 11% of Colorado's health care workforce, per census data analyzed by KFF.
Why it matters: Colorado — like much of the country — is staring down a health care labor crisis. A White House immigration crackdown could deepen existing shortages, just as a wave of older patients begins demanding more care.
- Meanwhile, President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" slashes federal health care spending.
By the numbers: Nationwide, 16% of hospital workers are immigrants — roughly inline with the share of the workforce that's foreign-born, KFF's analysis shows.
The big picture: The nation's hospitals rely heavily on an immigrant workforce — in some states, more than a quarter of hospital workers are either naturalized citizens or noncitizen immigrants.
- Immigrants make up nearly 30% of hospital cleaning and maintenance staff nationwide.
State of play: Colorado faces a shortage of registered nurses in hospitals, something experts say needs addressing as the state's population grows older.
- Two years ago, the state offered $14,000 bonuses to work at psychiatric hospitals.