Kaiser Extends DACA Nurse's Leave; USCIS Approves Renewal Application

Kaiser Grants 30-Day Extension for DACA Nurse's Leave Amid Work Authorization Delays

In a last-minute decision, Kaiser San Francisco Medical Center has agreed to extend the leave of a DACA nurse by 30 days, following pressures from the California Nurses Association. This reprieve comes as the nurse awaited the renewal of her work authorization, a process delayed by the federal government. The termination deadline, initially set, is now moved to June 15.

Today, the nurse received confirmation from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that her DACA renewal has been approved.

“It was ludicrous that nurses had to publicly protest like this when it was a no-brainer for Kaiser to protect its own workers,” remarked 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.”

The nurse, who prefers to remain unnamed, expressed gratitude for the union's support, stating, “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 organized a protest on May 11, insisting that Kaiser should protect DACA nurses and delay employment termination until work documents are processed. The nurse was initially placed on unpaid administrative leave; however, termination would mean a loss of seniority, benefits, and more.

In response to the situation, the union also engaged with congressional members who pledged to reach out to USCIS regarding the nurse's application. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jamie Raskin, and Sen. Alex Padilla made contact with the agency on the nurse's behalf. Furthermore, Sen. Padilla highlighted the nurse’s case during his speech at the DACA press conference on May 12 (watch the video here).

With her DACA application now renewed and extended leave granted by Kaiser, the union anticipates her reinstatement to her position.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United represents over 100,000 members across more than 200 facilities in California and over 225,000 registered nurses nationwide, making it the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States.

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