The bipartisan lawmakers are pushing their peers to pass a new bill that would bestow legal status on select illegal immigrants.
Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) and Maria Salazar (R-FL) jointly debuted a redone version of the Dignity Act alongside 20 House lawmakers Tuesday afternoon and pleaded with their colleagues in the GOP-controlled chamber to move quickly.
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“I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of our broken immigration system, and as a member of Congress, I take seriously my obligation to propose a solution,” Escobar said in a press conference on Capitol Hill Tuesday. “Realistic, common-sense compromise is achievable, and is especially important given the urgency of this moment. I consider the Dignity Act of 2025 a critical first step to overhauling this broken system.”
The bill would fund border security measures and infrastructure; prevent the hiring of illegal workers; end the process of arresting then releasing of illegal immigrants at the nation’s borders; grant a pathway to lawful permanent residency to illegal immigrants who were brought to the country as children; update visa categories to meet present-day demands; and create a seven-year earned legal status program for illegal immigrants.
“The Dignity Act of 2025 is a revolutionary bill that offers the solution to our immigration crisis: secure the border, stop illegal immigration, and provide an earned opportunity for long-term immigrants to stay here and work,” said Salazar. “No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”
Recent polls suggest that the American public may not have much of an appetite for comprehensive immigration reform.
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Over the past year, more Americans have reported having a positive view on immigration as an issue. A year ago, 55% of Americans polled by Gallup wanted immigration reduced compared to just 30% of those polled in June.
Immigration and the economy were the two top issues in the 2024 presidential election, and President Donald Trump’s campaign vowed to clamp down on illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico, as well as carry out the nation’s “largest-ever” deportation operation.