With jobs waiting to be filled, some argue that it’s a no-brainer to allow undocumented immigrants to take professional licensing exams.

But according to New York state Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, legislation to do just that is having a hard time navigating the Legislature this late in the session.  

“Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to move this year in the Senate or the Assembly, but my hope is that as we continue to make noise, we’ll be looking at a different picture come January,” she told Capital Tonight.

The bill, which she sponsors with state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, would open professional licensing to undocumented immigrants without social security numbers.

“We have so many people that are now coming and saying ‘we want to work’, so let’s let them work. But in order to fill these jobs, they have to have their professional licenses,” Cruz explained.

The legislative session is expected to end this week.