The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration has announced new guidance to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing federal workforce development resources and related grants. This measure aligns with other federal government actions in response to President Trump's executive order 14218, which aims to end taxpayer subsidization of open borders.
According to the new guidance, all grantees funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and similar programs must verify valid work authorization before offering participant-level services. This replaces previous guidelines from the Biden Administration and underscores the department's focus on strengthening the American workforce with taxpayer-funded resources.
"America’s workforce is stronger than ever under President Trump’s leadership because he is committed to upholding the rule of law and putting American workers first," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. "Our updated guidance makes clear that taxpayer-funded workforce services are reserved for individuals who are authorized to work in the United States, as required by federal law."
This directive requires updates to public workforce development policies and procedures, ensuring proper documentation in participant case files. The goal is for employers to confidently hire skilled workers who have legal approval to work in the U.S.
The new rules apply to a range of programs including WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth programs, National Dislocated Worker Grants, Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service, Reentry Employment Opportunities, YouthBuild, National Farmworker Jobs Program, and Senior Community Service Employment Program.
