Texas Bans Licenses for Undocumented Workers

0:00It's March 24th. Welcome to Dallas News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. A state commission in Texas has just ended a decade's old policy allowing undocumented immigrants to get occupational licenses. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation voted unanimously this Tuesday to require social security numbers for new licenses and renewals. This affects thousands of trained workers in fields like beauty and barbering. The move stems from Attorney General Ken Paxson's opinion back on February 10th. He overturned a 2001 ruling from a previous Attorney General that had opened the door for workers without social security numbers. Now the change takes effect on May 1st. Supporters argue it protects American jobs by preventing wage undercutting. Meanwhile, opponents like beauty school owners say it will drive skilled workers to operate without licenses, cutting state oversight and raising safety risks for customers. Critics also highlight how these workers already pay taxes using individual taxpayer identification

1:04numbers and support local businesses. Long time shops that have followed rules for years could face shutdowns. With the rules set to hit next month, Texas faces tough questions on balancing immigration enforcement and economic contributions from his workforce.