Rep. Salazar: It’s Time We Address Immigration with Dignity

As the border and migrant crisis dominate the news, immigration has overtaken both the economy and foreign policy as the number one issue voters are concerned about. The American people are witnessing firsthand the horrors of a broken immigration system. Cities overrun with migrants are funneling resources away from American citizens. Thousands of foreign nationals are running across our border each day. Border communities are at the brink.

Since President Biden took office, we’ve seen more than 6 million migrants overwhelm what’s left of our abysmal security measures at the border. “Catch and release” policy has turned a hallmark of American exceptionalism into a welcome party for abuse at the border. And the lack of security has left the country vulnerable and ripping at its seams.

In May, House Republican leadership introduced H.R.2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023. It focuses on funding our border agents, continues former President Trump’s vision of building a wall, and implements mandatory E-Verify for all employers. It’s the Republican Party’s dream bill. It passed along party lines in the House, without a single Democrat vote.

But with Democrats controlling the Senate majority, and having their own immigration and Ukraine funding demands, a Republican rendition of H.R. 2 is DOA—like it or not.

It’s time both parties wake up and face the reality of a divided government. If we don’t want to keep the status quo, bipartisan immigration overhaul is the only path forward. That’s why after Title 42 authority expired last year, I introduced the Dignity Act. This was a carefully crafted product that took years to write and negotiate, because it is the most complex challenge Congress faces.

My bill is the first major immigration bill in 40 years that would eliminate the crisis at the border. It includes major priorities that both Republicans and Democrats want to see. With over 30 co-sponsors and more than 50 stakeholders and organizations supporting the bill, the Dignity Act has already made significant headway in Congress.

It’s a win for Republicans because it puts $35 billion toward border security, at no cost to taxpayers. It increases border patrol agents by 3,000, ends catch-and-release, implements mandatory E-Verify nationwide, and takes down gangs, cartels, drug traffickers, and human traffickers. Together, these policies stop illegal immigration once and for all. In sum, the Dignity Act accomplishes the important goals of H.R. 2, but in a much better way.

It’s a win for Democrats because it modernizes our asylum system without shutting it down.

It sets up humanitarian campuses where individuals wait for their cases to be decided, instead of bussing migrants across the U.S. All cases would need to be decided within 60 days, eliminating the immigration backlog we’ve seen build up for years. It protects the right to claim asylum for those fleeing persecution and violence, but it ends our lackluster open border policies that have gotten the U.S. into this mess in the first place.

This bill is a strategically fought compromise that achieves major objectives for both Republicans and Democrats—in a way that can actually pass Congress. Not everyone gets everything they want, but this is the only way forward if we truly want to solve our immigration problem.

At the end of the day, the real winner of the Dignity Act is the American people.

I’ve met with religious leaders who’ve commended the dignified and humanitarian approach to immigration. The bill is based on Biblical principles of Dignity and Redemption. I’ve met with farmers who are unable to find workers and need updates to our guest worker programs. I’ve met with individuals who have been approved to come to the United Stats “the right way” only to be rewarded with decades-long lines. My constituents in Miami have praised this bipartisan solution as our city continues to be a focal point for many asylees entering the United States.

Congress’ inability to put forward real solutions to the immigration crisis has had a domino effect of dysfunction throughout the legislative branch. It has tied up funding negotiations, it has halted foreign aid to our allies, and most critically it has led to a less safe America.

Americans need order, not chaos. They deserve solutions, not rhetoric. The Dignity Act will put us on that path.

Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) is a second generation Cuban-American and five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who is leading immigration reform in Congress. She is well-known for her advocacy for Human Rights and democracy around the world.

The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.