California opens licensing doors to undocumented workers

A new California law allows undocumented workers to apply for licensure using a federal ID in place of a Social Security number.

The law requires that all 39 licensing boards under the California Department of Consumer Affairs give proper consideration of applicants who choose to use their federal taxpayer identification numbers as a means of identification.

Since immigrants who enter the country illegally do not have social security numbers—but can obtain tax identification numbers— the law seeks to smooth a path for prospective citizens to gain employment as an occupational licensee.

Nine licensing boards are currently abiding by the new rules, with the rest expected to follow suit by January 1, 2016 as mandated.

The new law has already come under a political firestorm from the right, which claims the law will allow undocumented workers to bypass the citizenship process.

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