Bipartisan duo introduces bill to give some migrant workers protected status amid Trump's crackdown

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan duo is teaming up in the House to introduce a bill that would provide legal status for certain undocumented immigrants amid President Donald Trump’s broader mass deportation efforts.

Under the legislation from Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., and Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, called the Dignity Act of 2025, undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States since before 2021 would be able to apply for up to seven years of legal status with work authorization. They would have to pay restitution and check in regularly with the Department of Homeland Security, and the legal status would not allow for any federal benefits or a path to citizenship.

The provision is specifically aimed at addressing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has heavily affected farms and food service providers.

The bill would also seek to beef up security measures at the border and require employers nationwide to use E-Verify, the government system for checking whether workers are in the country legally.

Members of Congress have been working for decades on a comprehensive immigration solution. Salazar said she's hopeful that because her proposal with Escobar does not include amnesty or a path to citizenship, it will open the door to a bipartisan compromise.

“For 40 years, every president and Congress has looked the other way while millions have lived here illegally, many working in key industries that keep our economy running. It’s the Achilles’ heel no one wants to fix,” Salazar said in a statement. “The Dignity Act offers a commonsense solution: certain undocumented immigrants can earn legal status — not citizenship — by working, paying taxes, and contributing to our country. No handouts. No shortcuts. Just accountability and a path to stability for our economy and our future.”

The plan would be paid for with restitution and payroll fees by the participants.

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The Trump administration has already begun a process to try to provide a layer of protection for migrant workers. The Department of Labor has reshaped its immigration policy department with the goal of making it easier for migrant workers to apply for work visas and temporary status.

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At the end of June, Trump said he was working on a way for some migrant laborers to remain in the country.

“We’re working on it right now. We’re going to work it so that some kind of a temporary pass where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control, as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away,” Trump told Fox News. “What we’re going to do is we’re going to do something for farmers, where we can let the farmer sort of be in charge. The farmer knows. He’s not going to hire a murderer.”

Despite Trump’s pledge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to target workplaces. A recent raid on two agriculture facilities in Southern California led to more than 200 arrests and violent clashes with protestors.