The Dignity Act Officially Endorsed by Problem Solvers Caucus
The Dignity Act has been officially endorsed by the Problem Solvers Caucus!
With 60+ members, this group is often a critical endorsement threshold to pass to advance major bipartisan legislation. The Dignity Act aims to overhaul the U.S. immigration system, but most importantly for EB-5, the bill would eliminate derivatives and only count the principal applicants towards the visa cap
From The Problem Solvers Caucus:
On October 18, 2024, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus announced its endorsement of the DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023. This immigration reform package will halt the flow of illegal immigration, develop a more efficient asylum system, provide legal status for qualified undocumented individuals, and bolster the American economy.
The Dignity Act will:
- Enhance U.S. border security with additional border infrastructure and equipment, increased Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) personnel and training, investments in border communities, and strategic planning and threat analysis developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
- Provide a pathway to citizenship for qualifying undocumented individuals, including Dreamers, by offering temporary legal status for a seven-year period to undocumented immigrants who pass a criminal background check and pay a fine.
- Expedite asylum processing to decide cases within 60 days by enhancing screening procedures along the U.S.-Mexico border to include criminal background checks and identity verification, ending “catch-and-release” practices.
- Ensure a globally competitive American workforce by creating pathways for skilled workers, supporting farmers and ranchers with an improved H2A workforce, increasing high-skilled employment-based worker visa opportunities, and reducing visa backlogs.
- Modernize and expand ports of entry to expand legal commerce.
The provisions outlined in the legislation will be fully funded by fees and restitution payments with zero cost to the American taxpayer.
The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Representatives Maria Salazar (FL-27), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-AL), Hillary Scholten (MI-03), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and has 30 additional cosponsors, 13 of whom are Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Salazar and Scholten.
“The United States desperately needs an immigration solution, and the Dignity Act is the best and most viable bill to secure our border and solve our nation’s immigration problems,” said Congresswoman María Salazar (FL-27). “I am proud that the bipartisan Dignity Act received the endorsement of the Problem Solvers Caucus – a critical group of lawmakers in Congress who are willing to advance solutions that prioritize national security, practical reforms, and economic growth.”
READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS
For a one-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.
For a more detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.
For a section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.
For the full text of the bill, click here.
