More than a dozen House Republicans have shown their support for Rep. Maria Salazar’s (R-FL) “Dignity Act,” legislation that aims to provide amnesty to the majority of the 11 to 22 million unauthorized immigrants in the country while also increasing legal immigration levels by allowing more foreign workers to fill American jobs
More than a dozen House Republicans have shown their support for Rep
More than a dozen House Republicans have shown their support for Rep. Maria Salazar’s (R-FL) “Dignity Act,” legislation that aims to provide amnesty to the majority of the 11 to 22 million unauthorized immigrants in the country while also increasing legal immigration levels by allowing more foreign workers to fill American jobs.
Salazar first introduced this amnesty proposal in 2022, during the largest wave of illegal immigration to the United States in recorded history, which occurred under President Joe Biden.
The bill appears to provide amnesty to approximately 10.5 million undocumented immigrants who resided in the United States before 2021, as long as they meet certain requirements. At the same time, it proposes to more than double employment-based legal immigration and significantly increase the number of foreign students allowed in, with the intent of ensuring a steady supply of foreign labor for corporate interests.
One of President Trump’s signature 2024 campaign issues – that he won on – was the implementation of a mass deportation program coupled with limited new immigration and strict border enforcement.
For years, this legislation has struggled to gain support in Congress, but it has recently garnered backing from 19 House Republicans and 20 House Democrats. The co-sponsoring Republicans are:
Michael Lawler (R NY) Rep
Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) Rep. David G. Valadao (R-CA) Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Rep. James Baird (R-IN) Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-MP-At Large) Del. James Moylan (R-GU-At Large) Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA) Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-IA)
“These Republicans join the likes of Democrat Reps. Henry Cuellar (TX), Jim Costa (CA), Thomas Suozzi (NY), Adriano Espaillat (NY), and Salud Carbajal (CA), among others,” Breitbart News reported.
During an interview on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, Lawler passionately defended his support for the amnesty bill. However, he had difficulty explaining how federal immigration officials would enforce specific provisions of the bill to ensure that all illegal immigrants in the U.S. would not qualify for amnesty.
INGRAHAM: Congressman, you know how much I like you.
But you can’t come on this show and say to my audience that you can…you can’t have committed a crime to be eligible under the, quote, Dignity Act because there are several crimes that are, quote, nonviolent that do not qualify for inadmissibility.
And on top of that, there are multiple instances, including family unity, public interest, and
And on top of that, there are multiple instances, including family unity, public interest, and just discretion on the part of immigration officers. I can’t imagine Democrat immigration officers under a Democrat president in the future, was going to hold the strict we’re not going to let any criminals in; gang member affiliation is given wide latitude.
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The amnesty scheme proposes a path to citizenship for approximately 2.5 million individuals known as “DREAMers,” who are undocumented immigrants eligible for former President Obama’s executive amnesty. In exchange for this amnesty, the plan includes nationwide mandatory E-Verify and mandates the construction and completion of a border wall, which is already required by the Secure Fence Act of 2006.
Additionally, the bill places a freeze on deportations for illegal immigrants deemed “prima facie eligible.” It also offers a renewable legal status lasting seven years to approximately 10.5 million undocumented individuals who have resided in the U.S. since before 2021, provided they have not committed certain crimes and have paid taxes and fines, Breitbart noted.
