Dignity Act Exposes the Cost of Inaction

The internet blew up last week over the Dignity Act (or the “Dignidad Act” per its official title), sponsored by Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL). The bill would give work permits to more than 17 million foreign workers through amnesty and immigration increases over a 10-year period.

Our Immigration-Reduction Grade Cards score the Dignity Act in five different categories: Amnesty, Unnecessary Workers, Chain Migration, Interior, and Border. You can review all of them on Rep. Salazar’s Grade Card.

After the largest wave of foreign workers (legal and illegal) in history arrived during the Biden Administration, the Dignity Act would put even more “mass” in mass immigration.

The bill buries a few good policies under a heap of awful ones. It mandates E-Verify – but only after giving permanent work permits to most people working illegally. That’s just another version of the familiar formula: amnesty first, enforcement later.

That failed formula has been tried over and over again since the infamous 1986 amnesty. It never delivers on its enforcement promises, but like a zombie, it keeps coming back.

Why are bills like the Dignity Act always a threat?

When we fail on offense, we end up on defense.

The Dignity Act may not pass in this Congress. But .. .

39 Representatives have cosponsored Rep. Salazsar’s bill. In all 20 Republicans and 20 Democrats are signed on to this mass immigration bill. By comparison, the Legal Workforce Act (E-Verify without any poison strings attached) only has 37 Reps signed on (1 DEM; 36 GOP). This is what you get when the average immigration grade in Congress is a D+.

We wouldn’t even be discussing the Dignity Act but for two reasons:

1. Millions of inadmissible aliens were able to get into the country; and
2. Most of them are still here.

A mass amnesty is only a threat when there’s a massive illegal workforce.

The Dignity Act remains a threat because:

• This Congress has not codified border security into lasting law
• Sanctuary policies make enforcement more difficult
• Lawmakers have refused to mandate E-Verify nationwide

Congress has 265 days left to change course, go on offense, close loopholes, and end mass immigration.

Related:

“Dignity Act” would Flood U.S. with Foreign Labor

Bipartisan Amnesty?! 📉 Lower Wages is a Feature of Immigration Policy, Not a Bug

Bipartisan Bill Sings Same Old Mass Migration Tune