FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2024
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, dperez@domesticworkers.org
National Domestic Workers Alliance Celebrates Biden-Harris Administration’s New Actions to Support Latino Families and Communities
WASHINGTON – The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s latest initiatives to expand opportunities for Latino families and communities. As the leading organization advocating for the rights and dignity of the 2.2 million domestic workers in the United States, we recognize the significance of these measures for our multiracial workforce, which is predominantly composed of women of color and immigrants.
“We celebrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing opportunities for Latino families and communities. The initiatives announced today reflect an understanding of many challenges faced by Latinos, including the caregivers and domestic workers we represent. By investing in educational equity and creating pathways to legal status, the Administration is taking concrete steps to uplift the lives of millions of Latino working families.
Latinas, in particular, make up a substantial portion of the domestic workforce and are integral to the functioning of our society. They represent 62.7 percent of house cleaners, 28.6 percent of all domestic workers, 21.1 percent of nannies, and 23 percent of agency-based home care workers. These workers enable millions of Americans to go to work every day by ensuring our homes are clean and safe and that our loved ones are cared for, all while looking after their own families.
As NDWA continues to advocate for the rights and dignity of domestic workers, we stand ready to support these initiatives – which include advancing education and economic opportunities, keeping families together by allowing eligible spouses and children to apply for legal status, giving Dreamers higher education pathways, ensuring access to immigration services and providing legal representation, and moving toward a just and fair immigration system – and collaborate with the Administration to ensure their successful implementation. Together, we can build a future where everyone, especially domestic workers and working families, can achieve their dreams and contribute to an economy that empowers, protects, and cares for them.”
According to a 2021 study by the Center for American Progress, noncitizens are overrepresented in all domestic worker occupations, making up half (49.9 percent) of the house cleaning workforce. Nationwide, 5 million undocumented immigrants work alongside their neighbors, including a reported 142,000 in the care economy as childcare workers, personal care aides, and home health aides, and nearly 162,000 as cleaners and housekeepers. These figures are likely higher as they only account for documented cases, and the actual number could be higher due to many instances going unreported. Immigrants continue to play a critical role in maintaining the fabric of our society, and extending protections to them is essential for maintaining family unity and allowing them to continue their vital work without fear.
Further, the Biden-Harris Administration’s latest measures will directly benefit many of the domestic workers members of NDWA, who often face significant barriers in navigating complex immigration processes. Each year, undocumented workers and their households contribute $2.5 billion in federal taxes and $1.2 billion in state and local taxes, holding $8.4 billion in spending power, according to the same CAP study. These measures are essential efforts to recognize the contributions of Latinos not only to our communities but also to our economy.
By supporting these new initiatives, we elevate the vital role Latinos play in our families, communities and our economy, helping to make America the country it is today.
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National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is the leading voice for dignity and fairness for millions of domestic workers in the United States. Founded in 2007, NDWA works for respect, recognition and inclusion in labor protections for domestic workers, the majority of whom are immigrants and women of color. NDWA is powered by over 70 affiliate organizations and local chapters and by a growing membership base of nannies, house cleaners and care workers in over 20 states. Learn more at
www.domesticworkers.org. NDWA is a non-partisan non-profit organization that does not endorse, support, or oppose any candidates for public office.
