Florida is expanding its restrictions on publicly funded education by requiring applicants to certain career and technical programs to prove they are U.S. citizens or lawfully present in the country.

The Florida State Board of Education approved the rule Sept. 16. It applies to postsecondary career and technical education programs that train workers for skilled trades and other high-demand occupations, including HVAC, welding, plumbing, electrical work, information technology, health care support, and automotive repair.

The programs have received millions of dollars in taxpayer funding as Florida has worked to expand career and technical education and steer more workers toward jobs that do not require a traditional four-year college degree.

Under the new rule, applicants must establish U.S. citizenship or lawful presence before enrolling in the affected programs. The policy makes legal status a requirement for accessing the taxpayer-funded training.

The decision has drawn criticism from teachers' unions and immigration advocates, who argue that the restrictions limit educational opportunities for undocumented students and could create additional challenges for industries already facing shortages of skilled workers.

Supporters of the policy argue that publicly funded workforce programs should prioritize citizens and legal residents who are authorized to work in the United States. Writing in The Federalist, Owen E. Richason IV argued that directing limited training resources toward people legally able to enter the workforce represents responsible use of taxpayer money.

The trade-school restriction follows other actions by Florida officials to limit access to publicly funded higher education for illegal immigrants.

Earlier in September, the state's Board of Governors unanimously approved a policy barring illegal immigrants from initially enrolling at Florida's 12 public universities beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.

That decision followed a June vote by the State Board of Education requiring students at Florida's 28 public colleges to demonstrate U.S. citizenship or lawful presence. The June policy also barred illegal immigrants from adult general education programs.

The latest rule extends the state's approach beyond traditional higher education and into programs specifically designed to prepare workers for the labor market.

The debate comes as states across the country face shortages in construction, health care and other technical occupations. Critics of Florida's policy argue that restricting access could further reduce the pool of potential workers, while supporters say workforce shortages should be addressed by expanding opportunities for citizens and people who are legally authorized to work.

Florida officials are continuing to make legal status a central requirement for access to state-funded education and job-training programs as the state seeks to direct public resources toward people who are legally eligible to work in the United States.