11M migrants in US illegally could get legal status, pay taxes under new bill

A bipartisan, comprehensive immigration bill called the Dignity Act was introduced by two members of the House of Representatives: a Republican described by opponents as “extreme MAGA” and the Democratic co-chair of President Biden’s reelection committee. The lawmakers described their proposal as “imperfect” and a “compromise.”

The bill addresses contentious issues that have stopped other proposals from becoming law, including asylum reform and making immigrants pay taxes. But the lawmakers said it’s imperative for Congress to address immigration and they are taking a first step. 

“I have seen the toll our broken immigration system has on federal personnel, local representatives, nonprofits, and the migrants themselves, and the need for a realistic, commonsense compromise could not be more urgent,” Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said. 

The bill invests in border security by increasing personnel, building more barriers in strategic areas and purchasing new detection technology. It also addresses the asylum backlog by creating what are described as “humanitarian campuses” in the United States where applicants will have their claims adjudicated within 60 days. 

“Our broken immigration system is frustrating Americans, causing people to suffer, and fracturing our country – economically, morally, socially and politically. A solution is long overdue,” Rep. Maria Salazar, R-Fla., said. 

The bill would also create a legal status for undocumented immigrants, which the sponsors call the “Dignity Program.” Immigrants who have been in the country for at least five years and don’t have any criminal history would be able to receive dignity status for seven years, during which time they can legally work and will not be deported.

Those with dignity status will not have access to any government programs and they will have to buy their own health insurance. 

Participants in the program would have to pay $5,000 over seven years, pass a criminal background check, pay any outstanding taxes and either begin or continue paying taxes. Salazar estimates the payments will bring in about $45 billion which will then be used to fund border security measures. 

Those who receive dignity legal status would also have an extra 1.5% payroll deduction which will be used to fund job training for Americans who believe they lost job opportunities to immigrants in the U.S. illegally. 

“For every one person in ‘dignity,’ one American can start a new career. No one can say that the undocumented are stealing anything away,” Salazar said. 

After seven years in the “dignity” pathway, immigrants could then move into the “redemption” pathway for five years. They would pay another $5,000, learn English, and at the end, become an American.

Salazar said the immigrants will be put at the end of the line so no one can argue that they are cutting or getting ahead of anyone else who is trying to become an American citizen through a different means. 

The bill’s sponsors said this proposal will be criticized by both the right and the left. For instance, Escobar said she wished it contained greater accountability measures for federal law enforcement. But she said both sides compromised to get something meaningful done. 

“This should be an ongoing legislative process. Immigration challenges will be different five years from now than they are today. It should not take over 30 years to get Congress to the table to modernize and update laws,” Escobar said.  

House Republicans recently passed the Secure the Border Act, but it does not have enough support to get through the Senate. Escobar said she hopes that will free up moderate Republicans to support the Dignity Act.