(MADISON)—Today, Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) joined Governor Evers at his ceremony to sign Assembly Bill 759, granting eligibility to DACA recipients to receive occupational credentials. Sen. Carpenter issued the following statement:
“I’m a proud cosponsor of Assembly Bill 759, which Governor Evers has now signed into law. This new law makes it possible for more Wisconsinites to go to work by allowing Dreamers to obtain licenses to serve as nurses, dentists, mental health professionals, and in hundreds of other essential occupations.
Nearly one-third of Wisconsin’s workforce must be licensed to do their jobs. At a time when our state faces a serious workforce shortage, that challenge is especially acute for nurses and other health care professionals who care for us when we are sick.
Federal law already allows many noncitizens with lawful work authorization to work. But for too long, Wisconsin law failed to recognize federal work authorization under the DACA program, leaving thousands of Wisconsinites who are ready, willing, and able to serve our communities and care for others unable to obtain the state licenses they need to do so.
This bill changes that. It allows Dreamers, who have contributed to our state and country since childhood, to do the jobs they studied and trained to do.
Dreamers came to this country as children, brought here by parents who believed in America as a land of opportunity. That is the same hope that has drawn generations of families to our country, including the ancestors of many proud Americans living freely in this nation today, the hope of building a better life for their children.
I’m grateful to my colleagues from both parties for helping pass this bill and to Governor Evers for signing it into law.
The next step is for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform and create a pathway to citizenship for all who seek to advance the American Dream.”
