Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) and Verónica Escobar (D-Texas), along with 18 other bipartisan lawmakers, introduced a new version of the Dignity Act immigration reform bill on July 15, which seeks to grant protected status to some illegal immigrant workers.
“That means they’ll pay a $7,000 fine over seven years, using their own health insurance, without access to any federal programs, and will contribute 1% of their salary to the U.S. Treasury,” Salazar said.
Additionally, the law includes protections for Dreamers who meet educational, work, or military service standards; a modernization and streamlining of the legal immigration system to reduce backlogs in green card applications and create new temporary visa options for families and students; and the establishment of a $70 billion investment in the American workforce, among other initiatives.
“We still have more than 10 million people working in construction, hospitality, agriculture, dairy, fishing, and slaughterhouses, who are undocumented, but they are not criminals,” Salazar said. “Yes, they broke the law, but someone gave them a job because they needed those workers, workers who are still needed today.”
Escobar said that after two years of negotiations among the lawmakers supporting the bill, an agreement was reached that she said adapts to the “current political environment.”
“Immigrants—especially those who have been in the United States for decades—make up a critical component of our communities and also of the American workforce and economy.”
“The president committed there will be no amnesty, but there are a lot of smart minds at the White House talking about is there something for farm workers, is there something for hospitality,” he said.
“My job is to operate within the framework provided me by the administration. So, if the president comes up with a policy, and says, ‘OK, here’s what we’re going to do with farm workers,’ then ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] will abide by that policy.”
“There’s no amnesty,” Trump said. “What we’re doing is getting rid of criminals, but we are doing a work program.”