Texas regulators voted Tuesday to require proof of legal immigration status to obtain a wide range of professional licenses in the state — a sweeping change that could affect thousands of trained workers and takes effect May 1.
The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation unanimously approved the new rule, which covers licenses for professions ranging from electricians and barbers to dog breeders. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which plans to implement the rule on May 1.
The TDLR has removed the ability for undocumented immigrants to earn licenses and certifications, upholding a move by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to rescind a 25-year-old legal opinion. State data shows about 18,000 licenses — roughly 2% of those currently active — are not attached to a Social Security number.
Steve Bruno, the agency's deputy executive director for licensing and regulatory services, told commissioners that the agency could not assume those individuals were violating federal law, noting there are a number of ways for noncitizens to live and work in the country legally. The agency issued more than 1 million individual and business licenses during the 2025 fiscal year.
Gov. Greg Abbott's office backed the rule. A spokesperson said Texas "will not reward illegal immigration by issuing professional licenses to those here unlawfully," adding that the changes "protect the integrity of our licensing system, uphold federal law, and ensure jobs go to hardworking Texans."
Critics pushed back sharply. Commissioners heard from a parade of speakers who largely opposed the rule, arguing it will hamper the state's economy, burden immigrants trying to make an honest living, push workers to operate without a license, and erode state oversight of key industries.
Sandra Castaneda, who founded a Texas beauty school and has been in the industry for a decade, warned that workers who lose access to licenses won't simply stop working — they'll just operate outside the system.
The TDLR rule is part of a broader wave of immigration enforcement actions by Texas state agencies since President Trump returned to office. The Texas Department of Public Safety has stopped issuing commercial driver's licenses to many noncitizens, and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has imposed stricter photo ID requirements for vehicle registrations.
Applicants who do not have a Social Security number can currently submit supporting documentation — such as a green card, immigrant visa, or refugee travel document — to pursue licensure. It remains unclear how the agency will handle that pathway once the May 1 deadline arrives.
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The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation unanimously approved the new rule
