Chavez-DeRemer, colleagues introduce bipartisan border security, immigration reform bill

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) joined Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and a bipartisan group of her colleagues Tuesday to introduce the Dignity Act. They said the historic proposal seeks to fix the United States’ broken immigration system, and is the first serious bipartisan immigration solution proposed by Congress in over a decade.

Here's Chavez-DeRemer's news release on the bill:

The Dignity Act consists of four core principles: stopping illegal immigration, providing a dignified solution for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., strengthening the U.S. workforce and economy, and ensuring the U.S. remains prosperous and competitive in the future.

The bipartisan legislation was written in consultation with business leaders, agriculture and farming industries, the faith-based community, immigration reform groups, and border security experts.

“We are a proud nation of immigrants, yet our current immigration system is outdated and broken. Unfortunately, we now also have a humanitarian and national security crisis occurring at our southern border due to insufficient border security policies. These problems reflect poorly on our country, and they put the lives of both migrants and American citizens at risk. It’s past time for Congress to act,” Chavez-DeRemer said. 

“The bipartisan Dignity Act is a comprehensive solution that would bolster border security while taking a compassionate approach to immigration reform – helping families stay together, supporting immigrants’ contributions to our workforce, and growing our economy by creating new opportunities in rapidly expanding industries. I’m proud to join Congresswoman Salazar on this historic legislation, and I look forward to working with her to get it signed into law.”

“Our broken immigration system is frustrating Americans, causing people to suffer, and fracturing our country — economically, morally, socially, and politically. A solution is long overdue,” said Salazar. “I am proud to introduce the new and improved, bipartisan Dignity Act. This bill gives dignity to the border agents who need support, the job creators who need employees, the American people who need secure borders, and those who currently live in the shadows.”

“Decades of congressional inaction on immigration law has real consequences, and the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes requires a bipartisan solution,” said Escobar. “I have seen the toll our broken immigration system has on federal personnel, local representatives, nonprofits, and the migrants themselves, and the need for a realistic, common-sense compromise could not be more urgent.

"These challenging times call for both compassion and action, and the Dignity Act of 2023 offers a bipartisan, meaningful approach that restores dignity to people who have tried to navigate a broken system for far too long. With the introduction of this legislation that Representative Salazar and I have been working on since December 2022, it is our hope that Congress seizes the opportunity to solve the immigration challenges of today and tomorrow.”

The Dignity Act contains several provisions that seek to strengthen border security, including enhancing physical barriers, employing modern technology, and bolstering resources for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The immigration provisions included in this legislation cannot take effect until the federal government gains and maintains operational control of the southern border. At that point, certain reforms would take effect, including protections for dreamers, fixes to the H-2A applications process for agricultural workers, and pathways for undocumented immigrants who meet specific criteria.

As the granddaughter of an immigrant, and as the first Republican Latina to represent the state of Oregon in Congress, Chavez-DeRemer has made immigration reform and border security top priorities since taking office five months ago. A member of the Congressional Hispanic Conference, she pledged to “ensure future generations are afforded the same opportunities that my family had” by supporting safe, legal immigration and taking steps to end the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. 

For a one-pager on the Dignity Act, click HERE.

For a more detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click HERE.

For a section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click HERE.

For the full text of the bill, click HERE.