A bipartisan trio led by Reps. María Elvira Salazar of Florida, Veronica Escobar of Texas and Gabe Evans of Colorado has reintroduced the Dignity Act, a sweeping immigration bill that stalled in 2023. The measure, now filed as HR 439 with at least 18 co-sponsors from both parties, would be the most comprehensive overhaul of U.S. immigration law since 1996. The proposal would allow undocumented immigrants who entered the country on or before 31 December 2020 to obtain renewable legal status and work authorization for up to seven years. Applicants must pass criminal-background checks, check in regularly with the Department of Homeland Security, forgo federal benefits and pay a one-time $7,000 restitution fee. The bill also offers a path to permanent residency for Dreamers, streamlines visa backlogs, and opens regional asylum processing centers. To address concerns about border security, the legislation authorizes $10 billion to modernize ports of entry, boosts Border Patrol staffing and mandates the E-Verify system for all U.S. employers. It further raises penalties for traffickers and repeat border crossers while codifying protections for sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals. Support for the plan comes from centrist Republicans in competitive districts, who are urging President Donald Trump to endorse the measure. Conservative members and immigration-hardline groups, however, label it ‘amnesty’ and vow to block a floor vote, leaving the bill’s prospects uncertain despite rising public support for immigration reform.