Eleven House Republicans Support Legal Status for Undocumented Immigrants
Reintroduction of Dignity Act marks rare bipartisan effort as White House doubles down on mass deportation
WASHINGTON — In a rare show of bipartisan defiance against the Trump administration’s hardline immigration agenda, a group of 10 House Republicans has joined Democrats in reintroducing the Dignity Act of 2025 — legislation that offers a long-awaited pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.
While President Trump pushes forward with sweeping enforcement policies under the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) — including mass detention, visa fee hikes, and the elimination of bond hearings for undocumented people — the Dignity Act signals that some lawmakers still see space for compromise, dignity, and legislative solutions grounded in economic and moral reality.
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The bill is co-led by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), who framed the proposal as both humane and pragmatic. The 5-page legislative framework would grant undocumented immigrants the ability to earn legal status through a structured process while also investing in border security and asylum reform.
The Dignity Act’s core pillars include:
A multi-step “Dignity Program” that allows undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years to earn work permits and eventually green cards.
Legal protections for Dreamers.
An overhaul of the asylum screening process, ensuring access to legal counsel and review.
Establishing regional processing centers to reduce dangerous border crossings.
Modernizing land ports and increasing resources for border infrastructure — without relying exclusively on physical wall expansion.
New mechanisms to hold ICE accountable for unlawful detentions and abuses.
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The Political Backdrop: A Clash of Agendas
The Dignity Act was introduced just days after Trump signed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a sweeping enforcement-first immigration law that:
Allocates billions to border wall construction and detention bed expansion.
Imposes a $250 Visa Integrity Fee on new applications.
Strips many undocumented immigrants of their right to bond hearings.
Codifies stricter asylum restrictions and narrows humanitarian protections.
Immigration advocates say the contrast between the two bills couldn't be starker.
GOP Supporters Taking a Risk
The list of Republican co-sponsors includes:
Salazar (FL)
Mario Díaz-Balart (FL)
Brian Fitzpatrick (PA)
Mike Lawler (NY)
Dan Newhouse (WA)
David Valadao (CA)
Mike Kelly (PA)
Gabe Evans (CO)
Marlin Stutzman (IN)
Don Bacon (NE)
Young Kim (CA)
While none of the Republican co-sponsors have publicly broken with Trump on enforcement, their support for legalization—particularly while the administration calls for 1 million deportations per year—represents a rare divergence from party orthodoxy.
They are joined by a growing coalition of Democrats, including Reps. Salud Carbajal, Adam Gray, Adriano Espaillat, and Hilary Scholten, who say the bill is a lifeline for undocumented immigrants contributing to communities across the country.
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What Comes Next
Despite a growing body of evidence that large-scale deportations could devastate sectors like agriculture, construction, and elder care, the Trump administration continues to prioritize removals and criminalization. With enforcement mechanisms ramping up, advocates warn that any legalization bill—however well-intentioned—must contend with an immigration system now operating under expanded executive authority and minimal judicial oversight.
The Dignity Act is expected to face stiff resistance in the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee, where immigration bills are often blocked before they reach the floor. Still, immigrant rights groups say the reintroduction of legalization legislation is a sign of life—and a reminder that, even under hostile political conditions, the long fight for dignity and due process continues.
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