Texas will require proof of legal immigration status to obtain many professional licenses after the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation unanimously approved a rule change on Tuesday, the state agency said. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees licensing through the commission, plans to roll out the change May 1, according to officials speaking to commissioners.
The vote came after the commission heard from numerous speakers who urged it to reject the proposal. Many argued that tying license eligibility to immigration status would slow the state’s economy and create barriers for immigrants trying to work legally, while they warned it could also encourage people to provide services without the required licenses and reduce the state’s oversight.
TDLR spokesperson Caroline M. Espinosa told commissioners that the agency has “long been evaluating verification of license eligibility in line with federal law.” She said the department’s licensing system modernization and increased focus on combating human trafficking are part of the reason “TDLR [is] moving forward with lawful presence verification,” adding that the agency views the process as a way to support “consistent, secure practices across all programs” and “strengthens our ability to identify and deter fraud, labor exploitation, and human trafficking.”
TDLR’s lawyer Derek Burkhalter also told commissioners that the proposed rules “do not impose a citizenship requirement.” He said noncitizens may still qualify for licensure if they meet eligibility criteria under a federal law that underpins the change. Burkhalter referenced categories including people who were granted asylum, admitted as refugees, or recognized as victims of human trafficking.
The agency tied the proposal to the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which TDLR said bars people in the country unlawfully from receiving certain benefits administered by the state, including professional licenses, unless they meet exceptions. TDLR said the department would post on its website the lists of documents applicants can use to apply for licenses.
TDLR officials also told commissioners that they could not rely solely on Social Security-number documentation to determine whether applicants fall outside federal eligibility. Steve Bruno, the agency’s deputy executive director for licensing and regulatory services, told commissioners that fewer than 2% of the licenses issued by the agency did not have a Social Security number attached during the period reviewed, but said the agency could not assume those licensees were in conflict with federal law because noncitizens can live and work through federal programs.
Bruno and other officials said they have issued more than 1 million individual and business licenses during the 2025 fiscal year. They said the agency’s website currently provides guidance for people without Social Security numbers and that the page links to a form last updated by the commission in January that instructs applicants to attach supporting documentation such as a green card, immigrant visa or refugee travel document. When commissioners asked for context, officials said Bruno cited figures showing the agency issued roughly 19,000 new licenses and renewed another 39,000 in February alone.
Industry and worker testimony raised concerns about the practical effect of the policy, including whether it would reduce labor availability and drive services into the black market. Some speakers said the change would place additional burdens on workers already facing stringent licensing requirements, which for certain fields can require many hours of practice and safety education, and would erode state oversight by pushing people into unlicensed work.
One speaker was Rocio Gomez, an Austin resident who holds an eyelash extension specialist’s license and instructs at a beauty school. She told commissioners, and later said in Spanish in an interview, that some of her students without legal status have been distressed since the agency proposed the rule in January, at times crying about the uncertainty of their future. “Seeing how this has affected the students affects us too, emotionally. It appears that everything is at the whim of them,” Gomez said after testifying.
After the vote, Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Gov. Greg Abbott, said in a statement that “Texas will not reward illegal immigration by issuing professional licenses to those here unlawfully,” arguing that the changes protect the “integrity of our licensing system,” uphold federal law, and ensure jobs go to “hardworking Texans.” Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin submitted written comments opposing the change, using published estimates she said could translate into a reduction of the state’s skilled workforce by 8% to 10%.
Commission Chair Rick Figueroa asked for frequent updates as implementation begins, describing the effort as entering “uncharted territory.” The commission’s action also faces a procedural step before the rule is available for public comment: state agencies must run proposed rule changes by the governor’s office, officials said. Ayden Runnels contributed to this report.