Amid President Donald Trump’s sweeping mass deportation efforts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives has introduced a bill to provide legal status to certain undocumented immigrants. The Dignity Act of 2025, introduced by Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida and Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of Texas, would allow immigrants who have been living in the U.S. since before 2021 to apply for up to seven years of legal status with work authorization. This legal status would not include federal benefits or a path to citizenship. Applicants would be required to pay restitution and regularly check in with the Department of Homeland Security.

This means there is no provision in the bill for those who arrived after 2021. At a time when the Trump administration has made public statements that immigrants who entered the U.S. within the last four years will not be granted legal status, this proposal signals that those who entered during the previous administration would be considered undocumented.

The proposal primarily responds to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has severely affected the agricultural and food service industries. The bill also proposes increased border security and mandates that employers across the country use E-Verify, the government’s system for checking if workers are legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Lawmakers have been working for decades toward a comprehensive immigration solution. Salazar said she is hopeful that the bill, which excludes both amnesty and a path to citizenship, can open the door to bipartisan compromise.

“For 40 years, every president and Congress has turned a blind eye while millions have lived here illegally, many working in key industries that keep the American economy running,” Salazar said. “This Act offers a practical solution: certain undocumented immigrants can earn legal status — not citizenship — by working, paying taxes, and contributing to the country. No handouts. No shortcuts. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”

The plan would be funded through restitution payments and payroll fees from the participants. The Trump administration has already begun efforts to provide some level of protection to immigrant workers, especially in agriculture. The Department of Labor has reshaped its immigration policy to make it easier for workers to apply for work visas or temporary status.

At the end of June, Trump said he was working on a solution to allow some migrant laborers to remain in the country:

“We’re working on it right now. We’re going to create a temporary pass where people pay taxes, and the farmer has a little control — otherwise, they just come in and take everyone away,” Trump told Fox News. “We’re doing something for the farmers so that they are in charge. The farmer knows — he’s not going to hire a murderer.”

The Trump administration has stated that those not involved in criminal activity will be allowed to remain safely in the U.S. However, despite Trump’s promises, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to target workplaces, leading to fear and unrest, according to media reports. A recent raid at two agricultural processing facilities in Southern California resulted in over 200 arrests and violent clashes with protesters.

This comprehensive bill aims to bring significant reforms to various key aspects of the immigration system. It grants legal status and protections to undocumented immigrants already living in the U.S.; it reforms the asylum screening process to ensure applicants have the opportunity for review and legal counsel;
it establishes regional processing centers, so migrants can apply for asylum without making the dangerous journey to the U.S.–Mexico border; it invests in border security and modernizes land ports of entry; it ensures accountability for ICE; and it provides a pathway to citizenship for DACA (Dreamer) recipients.