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3w ago

Bipartisan Dignity Act Sets Off GOP Clash Over ‘Amnesty’ Versus Enforcement

The fight highlights a Republican split on how to handle long‑term undocumented residents after decades without a broad immigration overhaul.

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 25: Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) speaks to reporters while arriving at the Capitol Hill Club for a meeting of the House Republican Conference on March 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. Republicans are meeting as the Trump administration faces blowback after defense plans were posted to a group chat that accidentally included a prominent journalist. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) (C), accompanied by Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) (C-L), speaks at a Dignity Coalition news conference on Capitol Hill on March 25, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Maria Salazar and lawmakers touting the Dignity Act.
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Overview

  • Salazar and Gill, whose exchange erupted Tuesday on X, argued over the bill’s core aim, with Gill labeling it mass amnesty and Salazar insisting it is enforcement‑first and not a citizenship plan.
  • The House proposal pairs tighter border and asylum rules, including nationwide E‑Verify and faster asylum decisions, with a Dignity Program that grants temporary legal status and work permits to vetted long‑term undocumented immigrants who pay fees, taxes, and stay employed.
  • The measure has roughly equal bipartisan backing with about 39 co‑sponsors, yet House Freedom Caucus members such as Chip Roy, Ralph Norman, and Mary Miller oppose it as rewarding illegal immigration.
  • Co‑sponsor Mike Lawler has promoted the bill on Fox News, and Salazar plans to present it at a Capitol event on April 16, though prospects look uncertain given hardline GOP resistance and Trump‑aligned calls for mass deportations.
  • Supporters argue limited legal status would bring millions out of the shadows and protect the workforce, while critics in right‑leaning media call it sweeping legalization, reflecting a long‑running policy divide since earlier failed reform efforts like 2013’s push.