Growing Number of Republicans Back Bipartisan ‘Amnesty’ Bill

A growing divide within the Republican Party has emerged as several GOP lawmakers throw their support behind a controversial immigration proposal that critics argue runs counter to the America First agenda championed by President Donald J. Trump.

Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) is once again pushing her so-called “Dignity Act,” legislation that would grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants while simultaneously expanding legal immigration—moves many conservatives say would flood the labor market and undermine American workers.

Originally introduced in 2022 amid the historic border crisis under former President Joe Biden, the bill has resurfaced with renewed backing. The proposal could extend amnesty to roughly 10.5 million illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. prior to 2021, provided they meet certain criteria. At the same time, it seeks to dramatically increase employment-based visas and expand foreign student admissions, ensuring a continued pipeline of foreign labor.

This approach stands in stark contrast to President Trump’s decisive 2024 electoral mandate, which centered on mass deportations, reduced immigration levels, and strict border enforcement to restore national sovereignty.

Despite years of resistance in Congress, the legislation is now gaining traction, drawing support from 19 House Republicans and 20 Democrats. Among the Republicans backing the bill are Reps. Michael Lawler, David Valadao, Dan Newhouse, Mike Kelly, Brian Fitzpatrick, Don Bacon, Young Kim, and Mario Diaz-Balart, among others.

“These Republicans join the likes of Democrat Reps. Henry Cuellar (TX), Jim Costa (CA), Thomas Suozzi (NY), Adriano Espaillat (NY), and Salud Carbajal (CA), among others,” Breitbart News reported.

Supporters argue the bill balances enforcement with compassion, but critics say it effectively amounts to mass amnesty dressed up as reform—rewarding unlawful entry while incentivizing future illegal immigration.

During an appearance on Fox News, Rep. Lawler faced tough questioning from host Laura Ingraham, who pressed him on how the legislation would prevent criminals from exploiting its provisions.

INGRAHAM: Congressman, you know how much I like you.

But you can’t come on this show and say to my audience that you can…you can’t have committed a crime to be eligible under the, quote, Dignity Act because there are several crimes that are, quote, nonviolent that do not qualify for inadmissibility.

And on top of that, there are multiple instances, including family unity, public interest, and just discretion on the part of immigration officers. I can’t imagine Democrat immigration officers under a Democrat president in the future, was going to hold the strict we’re not going to let any criminals in; gang member affiliation is given wide latitude.

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The legislation also includes a pathway to citizenship for approximately 2.5 million “DREAMers,” individuals previously protected under executive actions during the Obama administration. In exchange, the bill proposes nationwide mandatory E-Verify and calls for completing the border wall—measures critics note are already longstanding conservative priorities.

However, the proposal goes further by halting deportations for individuals deemed “prima facie eligible” and offering renewable legal status lasting seven years to millions of illegal immigrants currently residing in the country.

For many conservatives, the concern is clear: while the bill includes surface-level enforcement provisions, its core structure prioritizes legalization over deterrence—raising serious questions about whether Washington is once again preparing to repeat the mistakes of past amnesty efforts.