Bipartisan bill would grant legal status to certain illegal immigrant workers

Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., and Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, introduced legislation on Tuesday to reform the U.S. immigration system, including offering legal status for certain illegal immigrants to continue working in the country amid President Donald Trump's mass deportation policies.

The Dignity Act of 2025 would allow illegal immigrants who have been in the U.S. since before 2021 the opportunity to apply for up to seven years of legal status with work authorization. The immigrants would pay restitution and check in regularly with the Department of Homeland Security, and their legal status could be renewed based on good conduct and restitution.

The bill would offer a path to permanent residency, but the legal status afforded to the immigrants would not allow for any federal benefits or a path to U.S. citizenship.

"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," Salazar said in a statement. "No amnesty. No handouts. No citizenship. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future."

The bill would be fully funded through restitution payments and application fees made by immigrants, meaning it will not rely on any taxpayer money.

The measure would also aim to end catch-and-release and further bolster security at the Southern Border as well as require employers across the country to use E-Verify, the government system for checking the legal status of workers.

It would also expand training, apprenticeships, and education for American workers.

The legislation seeks to address the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has heavily affected farms and food service providers and included raids targeting migrant workers at local businesses, sparking protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere across the U.S. against the president's mass deportation agenda.

A recent raid on two cannabis facilities in Southern California led to a few hundred migrant arrests and clashes between federal immigration agents and protesters. One person died after the raids and others were critically injured.

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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. 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," Escobar said.

"Immigrants – especially those who have been in the United States for decades – make up a critical component of our communities and also of the American workforce and economy," she continued. "The vast majority of immigrants are hard-working, law-abiding residents; and, most Americans recognize that it is in our country’s best interest to find bipartisan reforms. We can enact legislation that incorporates both humanity and security, and the Dignity Act of 2025 offers a balanced approach that restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long."

Congress has worked in the past on comprehensive immigration reform, but Salazar and Escobar are optimistic their bill could lead to significant bipartisan support.

A bipartisan group of 20 other House members have already signed onto the bill.

"In conversations across NY-17, I’ve heard a lot of frustration, both from employers struggling to fill jobs and families looking to reunite with their loved ones," Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said. "We must do this by fixing our broken legal immigration system, securing our borders, and creating a fair, earned process for those who are already here and contributing. The Dignity Act honors America’s legacy of being a nation of immigrants and that’s why I’m proud to support it."

The administration has already begun working to provide some protection for certain migrant workers, and Trump said last month he was considering a way for some migrant workers to remain in the U.S.

"We’re working on it right now. We’re going to work it so that some kind of a temporary pass where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control, as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away. What we’re going to do is we’re going to do something for farmers, where we can let the farmer sort of be in charge. The farmer knows. He’s not going to hire a murderer," Trump said during a June 29 interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."