Are you ready to build future leaders?H.R. DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023
Date Introduced: May 23, 2023
Summary:
The Dignity Act of 2023 was an immigration reform effort introduced by Representative Maria Elvira Salazar to strengthen the national border, along with an opportunity to provide individuals with legal status who meet certain requirements (National Immigration Forum, 2023). There are five sections of the bill: Border Security for America Act, American Dream and Promise, Improving Seasonal Guest Worker Opportunities, American Agricultural Dominance Act, and American Prosperity Competitiveness.
The Border Security for America Act focuses on strengthening security at the American and Mexican border through more technological incorporations like cameras, sensors, and surveillance systems (National Immigration Forum, 2023). It also calls for ~$35 billion in funding and additional staffing for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection program and proposes faster processing of asylum cases of about a 60-day wait period.
The American Dream and Promise Act addresses immigrants brought to America as children to allow them to obtain legal status, and they are referred to as ‘Dreamers.’ It provides legal protection and newfound opportunities to immigrants if they meet requirements such as education, military service, or employment (National Immigration Forum, 2023). It also creates a Dignity Program, which is a seven-year program that allows undocumented immigrants a chance to obtain legality if they pass background checks, pay taxes, and stay employed or in school.
The Improving Seasonal Guest Worker Opportunities section allows temporary foreign workers to work in hospitality and tourism (National Immigration Forum, 2023). This bill expands ‘returning workers’ and ensures that workers follow labor rules and safety standards. Lastly, it prevents employers from charging recruitment fees to workers.
The American Agricultural Dominance Act focuses on the agricultural workforce, which creates the Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) status for undocumented farmworkers (National Immigration Forum, 2023). The visa would allow the workers to stay legal while still continuing their work. And after some years, some are eligible for the green card, which grants permanent residency.
The American Prosperity and Competitiveness section supports economic growth. It aims to reduce visa backlogs, raise the national limit for green cards, and expand employment-based visa opportunities (National Immigration Forum, 2023). It also allows international students on F-1 visas to pursue permanent residency.
Although the bill was not formally passed, it gave way to address and improve border and legality statuses, working conditions, and the economy for the United States.
References
National Immigration Forum. (2023, June 22). The Dignity Act: Bill summary. https://immigrationforum.org/article/the-dignity-act-bill-summary/