On April 9, 2026 Governor Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 759, now Wisconsin Act 240, into law, allowing recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to obtain certain occupational credentials for high-need jobs. Wisconsin Farmers Union celebrates the signing of this bipartisan bill as it opens more workforce opportunities for DACA recipients and addresses labor shortages in our state.
DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers,” are individuals who arrived in the United States as children prior to 2012. Wisconsin is home to over 5,000 DACA recipients who previously faced unnecessary barriers to entering into critical professions in Wisconsin. Under Act 240, DACA recipients will now be able to work in industries where more workers are needed, such as nursing, teaching, trucking, and other trade occupations.
“Allowing DACA recipients to obtain occupational credentials in industries where there’s a need for more workers in our state is an important step forward for Dreamers, while boosting the workforce in critical industries,” WFU President Darin Von Ruden said. “Wisconsin Farmers Union was proud to support this bill and we applaud the Governor and Legislature for working across the aisle to pass this critical piece of legislation.”
WFU members advocated for the passage of AB 759 and veto of AB 24 during the annual Farm & Rural Lobby Day in January 2026 and are proud to support job opportunities and protections for immigrant neighbors in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Farmers Union also thanks Governor Evers for using his veto power on Assembly Bill 24. This bill would have required local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE’s immigration enforcement tactics, hanging valuable local shared-revenue dollars in the balance. This harmful bill would have created fear, increased the risk of family separation, and damaged trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
WFU thanks Governor Evers for standing with immigrant families across Wisconsin.
