Decades of congressional inaction on immigration reform has real consequences, and the humanitarian crisis that has unfolded in El Paso and along the border requires a bipartisan solution. We have seen the toll our broken immigration system has on federal personnel, local governments, nonprofits, and the migrants themselves, and the need for a realistic, common-sense compromise could not be more urgent. These challenging times call for both compassion and action that is why Congresswoman Escobar introduced the Dignity Act. Along with Republican Representative of Florida, Maria Elvira Salazar, the Dignity Act offers a bipartisan, meaningful approach that restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long. Representatives Salazar and Escobar have been negotiating and working on this legislation since December 2022 with the hope that Congress seizes the opportunity to solve the immigration challenges of today and tomorrow.
Meaningful, Comprehensive Reform Through the Dignity Act:
- Grants additional pathways to citizenship, including through the new dignity program, certified agricultural worker status, or service through the armed forces;
- Grants legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States with the possibility of earning citizenship;
- Establishes new pathways for asylum seekers and creates new regional processing centers;
- Creates new legal pathways for economic migrants;
The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, and that was driven by Republicans and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. That bill eliminated several legal immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for legal status while making more people deportable. Currently, multiple federal agencies are working to manage the border using the tools they have. But Congress needs to update our immigration laws, pure and simple. And it’s not like Congress hasn’t had the opportunity; over the last 10 years, 7 major pushes for immigration reform have failed:
- In 2013, the Senate on a bipartisan basis passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, but House Republicans refused to take up the bill.
- In 2018, a bipartisan group of Senators advanced the Uniting and Securing America Act to protect Dreamers and provide pathway to citizenship, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
- Again in 2018, the Senate tried to advance the United and Securing America Act “Common Sense” Proposal Amendment, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
- Yet again in 2018, the Uniting and Securing America Act made it to the Senate floor but was blocked.
- In 2019, the House passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
- In 2021, the House again passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans again blocked it.
- In 2021 and 2022, the President proposed record funding for more border agents, more asylum officers, more immigration judges, more border technology, and more detention capacity. Republicans in Congress failed to fund these both requests.
Sponsored Legislation
- Homeland Security Improvement Act: Aims to enhance oversight, accountability, and transparency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by establishing an independent body to review policies and operations, ensuring they align with constitutional rights, while also improving communication between DHS and the public to address concerns related to enforcement practices, border security, and civil rights.
- Stop Arming Cartels Act: This bill proposes measures to prevent firearms trafficking to foreign cartels, enhancing border security and reducing cross-border crime.
Co-Sponsored Legislation
- American Dream and Promise Act: This legislation seeks to provide permanent resident status to Dreamers and individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), offering a pathway to citizenship for eligible immigrants.
- NO BAN Act: This act aims to limit the President's authority to issue executive orders that restrict entry into the United States based on religion or nationality, promoting nondiscriminatory immigration policies.
