Ahead of the State of the Union, the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is calling on the administration and members of Congress to meet this moment with honesty.
Feb 23 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, February 23, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of the State of the Union, the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is calling on the administration and members of Congress to meet this moment with honesty. We need real solutions that lower costs for families by investing in care that protects the domestic workers who provide it.
NDWA released the following statement:
“The affordability crisis facing American families goes deeper than housing, gas, and groceries. Every single one of us will receive care, provide care, or both. Yet for millions of American families, that care is simply out of reach. Across the country, families are being priced out of essentials that make life and work possible: affordable and quality child care for working parents, home care for aging adults and people with disabilities, and the everyday support that keeps households running.
Domestic workers – nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers – make all other work possible, yet too many juggle multiple jobs, unstable hours, low wages, and are denied the basic protections most workers receive. NDWA’s 2025 La Alianza survey makes clear that domestic work – carried out overwhelmingly by women of color, many of them immigrants – is sustained by workers facing deep economic instability. More than half fell behind on rent at the end of last year, and nearly two-thirds struggled to cover basic expenses. And with family caregivers facing many of these same pressures, there’s a clear sign that the entire care system is under strain.
Instead of addressing this crisis, the Trump administration has fueled chaos and cruelty – undermining equitable health care, endangering communities, and spreading disinformation. Over the past year, nearly $1 trillion has been slashed from Medicaid, the primary lifeline for long-term care. At the same time, intensified immigration raids have destabilized the care workforce. Voters are sending a clear message: Congress should avoid policies that undermine public trust. In fact, most voters oppose increased spending on immigration enforcement and would rather see those funds redirected to Medicaid.
Their enforcement actions have destabilized families and workplaces, where care becomes harder to find, harder to afford, and harder to sustain.
Families don’t need another year of chaos and cruelty. NDWA urges leaders to strengthen our care infrastructure. We must protect and expand health care, invest in child care and long-term care, and ensure all domestic workers have family-sustaining wages, safe workplaces, and full labor protections.”
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