The state of New York will allow some undocumented immigrants to teach and practice medicine after the state’s licensing board voted Tuesday to accept applications from immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.
(FOX)- The action by the Board of Regents will open up new opportunities for thousands of people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – or DACA – status.
“They are American in every way but immigration status,” state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said in Albany. “They’ve done everything right. They’ve worked hard in school, some have even served in the military.”
The DACA policy implemented by the Obama administration is June 2012 granted recipients the legal right to work in the United States.
In New York, though, some professional licenses were previously limited by state statute to people who are citizens or have legal immigration status. The new policy opens the licensing process up to DACA holders, provided they meet all the educational requirements the licenses require.
California, Florida and Nevada also have eased some licensing restrictions.