MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin lawmakers from both parties are backing legislation that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to apply for professional and occupational licenses, a change they say could help address workforce shortages across the state.
The proposal, Assembly Bill 759, is authored by Republican Rep. Joel Kitchens of Sturgeon Bay and Democratic Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez of Milwaukee. The bill has a companion measure in the Senate, SB 745. Under current Wisconsin law, DACA recipients, often referred to as Dreamers, are barred from receiving professional and occupational licenses, even though they are authorized to work under federal rules. AB 759 would create a state-level exception allowing DACA recipients to obtain licenses if they meet all other qualifications for a profession.
According to Spectrum News 1, supporters of the bill argue the change would help Wisconsin address persistent labor shortages in fields that require state-issued credentials, including health care, education and skilled trades. During a January public hearing, lawmakers cited unfilled jobs across the state as a key motivation for the proposal.
“They are Americans who know no other country as their home. They have proven their value to our society by working, paying taxes, and staying out of trouble,” said State Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said in support of the bill during a public hearing.
Kitchens said DACA recipients have already demonstrated their contributions to Wisconsin’s economy through employment and tax payments, Spectrum News 1 reported. Ortiz-Velez said allowing access to professional licenses could help keep trained workers in the state rather than losing them to neighboring states with fewer restrictions.
The legislation has also been framed as a workforce measure rather than an immigration policy change. Fox 6 Now reported that supporters emphasized DACA recipients already live and work in Wisconsin but are prevented from advancing into licensed professions due to state law.
“It’s not going to encourage illegal immigration. These people actually are here, and they’re kind of stuck in the middle of some things that are going on at the federal level.” said State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez.
Advocacy organizations have publicly backed the proposal. One example is the ACLU of Wisconsin, which said the bill would remove a state-imposed barrier that limits economic opportunity for thousands of residents. The organization estimates that roughly 8,000 DACA recipients live in Wisconsin and contribute tens of millions of dollars annually in state and local taxes.
“The 8,000 Dreamers who live in Wisconsin, along with the undocumented community as a whole, play a vital role in keeping Wisconsin running,” said the ACLU on their website. “According to a Dreamers of Wisconsin tuition equity policy brief, DACA-eligible residents of Wisconsin pay $48 million in local, state, and federal taxes and make massive contributions to our economy. The difference that DACA recipients make economically is so significant that without them the state would lose $427 million in GDP annually.”
AB 759, which was introduced in December 2025, has already cleared the Assembly Committee on Regulatory Licensing Reform. The next step is for Assembly leadership to schedule the bill for a floor vote. If it passes the Assembly, it moves to the Senate.
The measure is the latest in a series of attempts by Wisconsin lawmakers to change state licensing law for DACA recipients, an issue that has resurfaced periodically at the Capitol over the past several sessions.
If enacted, the legislation would align Wisconsin with other states, such as California, Illinois and Nevada, that allow DACA recipients to seek professional credentials.