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, which is why Congresswoman Escobar introduced the bipartisan Dignity Act alongside Republican Representative of Florida, Maria Elvira Salazar. First introduced in 2023 and again in 2025, the Dignity Act offers a comprehensive, meaningful approach to our current immigration challenges, makes much-needed updates to legal immigration processes, and restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long. Representatives Salazar and Escobar have worked 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 legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States through the new Dignity Program;
Provides immigration relief to certain non-citizen spouses of U.S. citizens;
Protects and creates a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients
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.
Legislation Written by Congresswoman Escobar
Homeland Security Improvement Act: This legislation would 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.
American Families United Act: This legislation would preserve and promote family unity by amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to help millions of U.S. citizens reunite with their loved ones.
Legislation Supported by Congresswoman Escobar
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 legislation would prevent future immigration bans on people of Islamic faith, or any other religious group, by strengthening the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination based on religion. The bill would also require that any suspension of entry into the United States be narrowly tailored, backed by credible evidence, and subject to appropriate consultation with Congress.
Stop Arming Cartels Act: This bill proposes measures to prevent firearms trafficking to foreign cartels, enhancing border security and reducing cross-border crime.
Born in the USA Act: The legislation would prohibit any government funds from being appropriated or used to carry out President Donald Trump’s unconstitutional and illegal Executive Order 14160, that seeks to end citizenship for children born in the United States.
Access to Counsel Act: This legislation would ensure that U.S. citizens, green card holders, and other individuals with legal status can consult with an attorney, relative, or other interested parties to seek assistance if they are detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for more than an hour at ports of entry, including airports.
Stop ICE from Kidnapping U.S. Citizens Act: This legislation would formally block Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from detaining or deporting U.S. citizens.
Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement (VISIBLE) Act of 2025: This legislation would require immigration enforcement officers — including DHS personnel such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), federal agents detailed to immigration operations, and deputized state or local officers — to display clearly legible identification, including their agency name or initials and either their name or badge number, in a manner that remains visible and unobscured by tactical gear or clothing. It would prohibit non-medical face coverings (such as masks or balaclavas) that obscure identity or facial visibility, with exceptions for environmental hazards or covert operations and require DHS to establish disciplinary procedures for violations, report annually to Congress on compliance, and investigate complaints through its Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act: This legislation would restore Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility to lawfully present immigrants and remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of U.S. residency for green card holders. It would also end the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces and ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
