Gov. Evers signs bipartisan bill allowing DACA recipients to obtain professional credentials

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Gov. Tony Evers signed Assembly Bill 759 on Thursday, April 9 at Nuevo Mercado El Rey in Milwaukee, removing barriers to professional credentialing for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

There are around 5,000 DACA recipients in Wisconsin, meaning people who arrived in the U.S. undocumented as children, but have since spent most of their lives in the nation.

The new bipartisan law allows DACA recipients living and working in Wisconsin to obtain licenses for occupations including registered nursing, dentistry, teaching, emergency medical services and the trades, as long as they meet all applicable requirements and hold a valid federal employment authorization document, according to the governor's office.

Gov. Evers said the law will push back on the hardline stance President Trump is taking on immigration at the federal level:

"President Trump can try to instill fear and sow division all he wants, but here, we know the facts. Immigrants make essential contributions to our workforce and economy."

With regards to those contributions, he added:

"Immigrants play a critical role in our economy and our communities in every corner of our state—and they have for generations. In Wisconsin, we’ve always believed that if you work hard, obey the law, pay taxes, and play by the rules just like everyone else, you should have a fair shot at pursuing the American Dream, including having the opportunity to join our professional workforce."

The bill is aimed at addressing Wisconsin's workforce shortages in high-need industries, with the lead author of the bill being a Republican from Door County. One of his staffers is a DACA recipient, and he tells CBS 58 that the firsthand experience made him push for the bill.