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If you have an aging parent, a child who needs care while you're at work, or a loved one with a disability, you've likely felt the strain of our nation鈥檚 worsening caregiver crisis.

In New Mexico, this challenge is especially urgent.

We鈥檝e met part of this challenge head on by being the first state in the nation to offer universal, free childcare, but worker shortages and the need for more licensed providers are stifling that opportunity. The most recent data points to roughly  New Mexican children unable to receive this benefit due to the current caregiver shortage.

Our state is also feeling the pressure on the other end of the caregiving spectrum, as New Mexico's population is aging rapidly. In just five years, our state is projected to have the  percentage of residents over age 65 in the nation. More families are taking on caregiving responsibilities for aging parents and relatives, often while balancing careers and raising children of their own. Many New Mexicans act as the sole, primary caregiver to their elderly loved ones, limiting their career and workforce training opportunities.

At the same time, the cost of in-home eldercare has risen  faster than inflation, placing an enormous financial burden on working families across our state. And in New Mexico, we take care of our families. 

The solution is simple: We need more caregivers, and we need them now.

That's why this week I introduced the  in Congress, a commonsense solution to shore up the shortage. Folks from other countries, who already take on a huge percentage of our nation鈥檚 caregiving jobs, can apply for a W visa from their home country or if they鈥檙e already here, they can apply for a work visa if they have been in the U.S. since 2024, pass a background check, and pay a $500 fee and all taxes. The numbers don鈥檛 lie, 1 in 3 caregivers in the U.S. are foreign born. 

This proposal is practical, specific and will help unlock economic opportunities for more New Mexicans. Visas would be capped at 100,000 annually. Employers would be required to pay prevailing wages and comply with federal labor protections to protect American workers. The Department of Labor would have to certify a workforce need before additional workers could be admitted, ensuring the program responds to real shortages where the domestic labor force can鈥檛 meet the demand.

My bill is part of a broader vision for fixing our broken immigration system. That鈥檚 why I created the , which focuses on smart border security, expands legal pathways, supports our economy and restores order to our immigration system. The Careworker Visa Act reflects those same principles: identify a workforce need, create a legal solution and ensure the rules are enforced.

If we fail to act, the consequences will only become more severe. Nationwide, experts project there could be  unfilled caregiving jobs by 2032. That means higher costs for families, longer waitlists for care, more workers forced to leave their jobs to care for loved ones, and fewer options for seniors and people with disabilities.

New Mexicans have always been pragmatic problem-solvers. We know that when a challenge threatens our families and our economy, we must find solutions that work. The Careworker Visa Act is one such solution. It will help fill critical workforce shortages, lower care costs, support family caregivers and ensure that our children, seniors and loved ones receive the care they deserve.

For New Mexico families, the caregiver shortage is not a distant problem. It is here today. And the time to act is now.

Gabe Vasquez represents New Mexico 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.