The Dignity Act of 2025

What Is the Dignity Act of 2025?

Introduced by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, the Dignity Act of 2025 is a proposed bill aimed at enhancing border security in the United States. It is a revision of the Dignity Act of 2023 and has not yet been enacted into law. This act will also aim to grant undocumented immigrants a chance to receive legal status, alongside updating aspects of the U.S. legal immigration system. The three sections composed within this bill include:

Border Security for America Act
Dignity & American Promise
American Prosperity & Competitiveness

Border Security for America Act

The Border Security for America Act would enable the use of technology, roads, and lighting to secure the entire border. The government would use existing funds to construct the necessary physical barriers and deploy technology at U.S. borders.

According to the National Immigration Forum’s summary, this bill would grant the Department of Homeland Security the permission to waive the legal requirements that the Secretary deems necessary to ensure the following: design, construction, and installation. $46.5 billion of funds were approved by Congress to carry out this plan in its entirety.

Revisions to the Asylum System

This proposed legislation would enhance the asylum system in the United States by allowing asylum officers to make judgment calls at the border within 60 days. This bill would stop the release of individuals in custody. This act would establish humanitarian campuses to keep migrants while providing them with access to medical staff, social workers, and mental health professionals.

First, an initial screening would be conducted by the staff at the humanitarian campuses for these migrants. These screenings would include the following:

Criminal background checks
Analysis of biometric data
Identity verification
Medical assessments
Human trafficking screenings for victims
Initial credible fear interview

Individuals who pass the initial screening will undergo a second screening process, where trained asylum officers will evaluate their application and issue a final decision. Furthermore, this decision will be either to deny, approve, or refer complex/uncertain cases to an immigration judge.

Mandatory Employment Verification

A mandatory employment verification would be implemented for new hires to establish that they are legally authorized to work. The bill would require employers to prove and ensure that the hired employee is not an undocumented immigrant. The Department of Homeland Security would administer the Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) to confirm workers’ eligibility for employment.

A gradual phase-in would be implemented and become mandatory for employers, occurring over different timeframes. These timeframes would include the following:

10,000 or more employees (6 months)
500 to 10,000 employees (12 months)
20 to 500 employees (18 months)
1 to 20 employees (24 months)

Rules on Criminal Conduct

The illegal reentry of individuals who re-enter the country unlawfully after being denied entry would result in increased criminal penalties, ranging from two to ten years in prison. Additionally, the proposed legislation would impose monetary fines in conjunction with these penalties. Moreover, it would increase the minimum punishment for child sex trafficking.

Dream Act and Dignity Program

The Dream Act is a proposed piece of legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to obtain legal status. Dreamers, alongside DACA recipients, could become eligible for a “conditional permanent resident” status, which would ultimately protect them from deportation. Dreamers and DACA individuals could achieve one of the following to remove the conditional basis of their status, which would allow them to become a lawful permanent resident:

Earn a college degree/technical credential
Serve in the U.S. military for 3+ years
Work for 4+ years with valid work authorization for at least 75 percent of the time

The Dignity Program would allow undocumented immigrants to earn legal status. Furthermore, it would also grant employment and travel authorization to these immigrants. In order for this to happen, immigrants would have to do the following:

Pass a criminal background check
Pay back any taxes owed
Pay restitution ($7,000)

Keeping Families Together

A component of the American Families United Act is included within this bill to help individuals understand that the separation of one’s family results in significant stress and various struggles. The “family purposes” visa creates a space for (LPRs) to travel to the United States for the following occasions:

Weddings
Birthdays
Family reunions
Funerals

Equity for Lawful Immigrants

To maintain fairness for lawful immigrants the bill proposes:

Elimination of backlogs: reduced to a maximum of ten years
Per-county caps: raises the green card per-country cap (7% to 15%)
Documented dreamers: a component of the America’s Children Act

Visas and Employment

This bill includes key elements regarding both visas and employment:

Firstly, the employment-based visas (derivatives) would limit the number of children and spouses exempt from the annual cap.
F-1 Visas would serve as dual-intent visas, suited for international students. These students would not have to explain why they need to return to their country of origin.
Finally, the bill would reserve O-Visas for those with high-level skills (i.e., students in STEM).

How KAASS LAW Can Help

Navigating through the difficulties of the Dignity Act of 2025 can be challenging. It will require extensive legal guidance from professionals in the legal field who are passionate about helping others. Our immigration attorneys can provide the necessary support and resources to help you understand your rights and responsibilities. Whether it’s to file an application for a visa, green card, or any other immigration benefit, please contact KAASS LAW today at (844) 522-7752 for a confidential immigration consultation.

3 months ago

Natalie A