New York, New York - A coalition of around 400 New York nursing homes is demanding the Trump administration halt its decision to rescind Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Haitian workers.

New York's nursing homes have long relied on labor provided by Haitian TPS holders, where they provide crucial services.

"New York has the highest share of immigrant direct care workers of any state, with 40,000 Haitian TPS holders," Stephen Hanse, CEO of the New York State Health Facilities Association, said in a letter sent to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.

"7000 of whom work as nursing assistants and direct care givers," Hanse wrote in the letter, dated August 14.

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Hanse, who also leads the New York State Center for Assisted Living, said that as New York's population continues to age, its nursing homes heavily rely on Haitian workers.

"Any significant reduction in the available workforce would make it more difficult to serve current and new residents, causing a ripple effect that could overwhelm our local hospitals and the entire healthcare system," he said.

Scott LaRue, CEO of Archcare, said in a statement: "The elimination of TPS status appears to have been undertaken without adequate consideration of its impact on our healthcare system."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has also expressed strong opposition to the termination of Haitians' TPS. Numerous attempts have been made to legally challenge the termination.

A Homeland Security spokesperson defended the move, writing: "If people want to come to our country to work, they need to do that by coming here the legal way."

Haitians protected by TPS were legally residing in the US, and allowed to work.

"The assertion that the only way we can support the healthcare industry is by allowing unvetted illegal aliens to remain in the country is grossly false and lazy," the spokesperson said.