HB26-1143 would allow professional practices without a Social Security number

CAREERS IN HEALTH CARE | HB26-1143 could allow many young people to train as nurses in Colorado. (Photo/EFE)

Colorado bill opens doors for undocumented students

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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A new legislative proposal in Colorado seeks to remove barriers that have limited the professional advancement of students without immigration status. House Bill 26-1143, known as “Safety, Not Status,” is backed by community organization Juntos Community and sponsored by state representatives Naquetta Ricks and Junie Joseph, along with state senator Mike Weissman.

The measure would allow students who do not have a Social Security number (SSN) to complete background checks using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or fingerprint verification. These background checks are often required for internship programs that are not formal employment but have historically blocked students who lack an SSN.

Removing a structural barrier in education

Requiring a Social Security number is not a federal mandate for participating in unpaid internships, according to supporters of the proposal. Instead, they say it has become an administrative practice that prevents qualified students from completing the clinical hours, internships or pre-apprenticeships required to graduate.

Joshua Stallings, spokesperson for the community group Juntos Community, explained that the bill would allow educational institutions to accept an ITIN or fingerprints when a background check is required strictly for academic purposes rather than employment.

The goal, he said, is to maintain public safety standards without excluding students who do not have a Social Security number.

A case that illustrates the problem

The issue has a direct impact in fields such as nursing, mental health, social work and technical programs that require hands-on training. Supporters say that some students complete all academic coursework but cannot graduate because they cannot provide an SSN to pass the background check required before starting their professional training.

Stallings described the case of a nursing student who finished her classes with strong grades but was prevented from beginning her clinical training at a hospital because she did not have a Social Security number. Without that verification, she could not continue in the program or obtain her degree.

HB26-1143 aims to prevent similar situations from happening to other students who have already completed their academic requirements.

Arguments in favor of the proposal

Representative Ricks emphasized that the bill would not grant work authorization or change anyone’s immigration status. Instead, it would allow students to complete their education, obtain degrees and qualify for professional licenses when permitted by law.

Supporters say the measure could also help address workforce shortages in critical sectors. Colorado continues to face demand for nurses, mental health professionals and workers in skilled trades.

Allowing students to complete their internships, advocates argue, would strengthen the workforce while expanding access to culturally competent services in diverse communities.

Legislative process and next steps

On February 26, HB26-1143 passed the Colorado House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee by a vote of 8-3. The proposal will now move to the Appropriations Committee to evaluate potential state costs before returning to the House floor and later advancing to the Senate.

So far, the bill has received support primarily from Democratic lawmakers, although its backers hope to attract broader support by emphasizing its workforce benefits and the removal of barriers, they consider discriminatory.

For hundreds of undocumented students in Colorado, the bill represents a potential path to complete their studies and enter professional careers that have long remained out of reach.