Full List of Republicans Backing Citizenship Path for Some Illegal Migrants

Nine Republican House lawmakers on Tuesday signed on to the reintroduction of an immigration-related bill called the Dignity Act that legislative sponsors say provides an “updated compromise” addressing legal status and protections for undocumented immigrants, border security, asylum reform, and visa reform.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump’s promise to lead the most aggressive administration in deterring illegal immigration has led to massive downturns in U.S.-Mexico border crossings and a major uptick in arrests of immigrants, most purported to be in the country illegally.

However, other policy aspects, including the mechanisms employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), changes for green card holders, and nefarious effects on workplaces due to a labor shortage, have compounded an issue integral to the president’s 2024 campaign.

Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll released July 11 showed a steep drop among Republicans wanting immigration levels into the U.S. decreased—falling from 88 percent in 2024, down to 48 percent in June. The same survey showed an increase in Republicans who view immigration’s positive effects on the U.S.

What To Know

U.S. House Representatives Democrat Veronica Escobar of Texas and Republican Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, on Tuesday, touted the Dignity Act of 2025, which provides a broader legislative framework as opposed to the bipartisan bill of the same name initially introduced in 2023.

Salazar, in a post on X, called it “the most impactful immigration reform in a generation.”

Newsweek reached out to Salazar and Escobar via email for comment.

The 22-page bill summary presents myriad options for immigration reform, including the following major revisions:

• Granting legal status and protections to undocumented immigrants already living in the U.S.
• Reforming the asylum screening process to provide an opportunity for review and access to counsel.
• Creating new regional processing centers so migrants do not have to make the “perilous journey” to the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum.
• Investing in border security and modernizing land ports of entry.
• Mandating accountability for ICE.
• Providing a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.

The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) charges a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee starting next year, for example, while a new Trump policy directive reported Tuesday by The Washington Post would eliminate bond hearings for undocumented immigrants facing deportation—potentially leading to prolonged detention for millions.

The following lists all the Republican lawmakers who support the bill:

• Mario Rafael Diaz-Balart (Florida)
• Brian Fitzpatrick (Pennsylvania)
• Mike Lawler (New York)
• Dan Newhouse (Washington)
• David Valadao (California)
• Mike Kelly (Pennsylvania)
• Gabe Evans (Colorado)
• Marlin Stutzman (Indiana)
• Don Bacon (Nebraska)
• Young Kim (California)

The following lists all the Democratic lawmakers who support the bill:

• Salud Carbajal (California)
• Lori Trahan (Massachusetts)
• Adam Gray (California)
• Jake Auchincloss (Massachusetts)
• Nikki Budzinski (Illinois)
• Adriano Espaillat (New York)
• Greg Landsman (Ohio)
• Susie Lee (Nevada)
• Mike Levin (California)
• Laura Gillen (New York)
• Hillary Scholten (Michigan)

Immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi told Newsweek on Tuesday that the legislation faces an “uphill battle” as its legalization conflicts with priorities embedded in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its “enforcement-first” immigration policy.

She cited how though the Dignity Act establishes a lengthy “dignity program” that gives undocumented individuals a chance to earn legal status and, eventually, a green card, H.R.1 [One Big Beautiful Bill Act] provides no legalization route and instead “doubles down on immigration enforcement” by funding mass deportations, detention expansions, and border wall construction.

Similarly, where the Dignity Act would allow temporary admission through special permission, H.R. 1 tightens those permissions, brings back strict asylum rules, and adds steep new application fees, she said.

“Without congressional action to roll back many of the core immigration elements of H.R. 1—especially the funding and restrictions around detention, deportations, and parole—there’s really no practical space for the Dignity Act’s approach,” Berardi said. “However, I do think this framework could help create bipartisan conversations focused on creating easier work-visa access and temporary status for migrant workers in industries like agriculture, hospitality, health care and manufacturing.

“I want to believe Congress can find a middle ground on immigration that our economy urgently needs to stabilize the labor supply and provide accountability and legal clarity for the people doing work no one else will.”

What People Are Saying

Representative Maria Elvira Salazar on Tuesday on Fox & Friends: “They did break the law. They are illegals or undocumented. But they have been here for more than five years, contributing to the economy. Those people, someone gave them a job, and they are needed because we need hands in order to continue being the number one economy in the world.”

Representative Veronica Escobar in a statement: “I have seen firsthand the devastating consequences of our broken immigration system, and as a member of Congress, I take seriously my obligation to propose a solution. Realistic, common-sense compromise is achievable, and is especially important given the urgency of this moment. I consider the Dignity Act of 2025 a critical first step to overhauling this broken system.”

Representative Adam Gray of California said in a statement, “The Central Valley cannot function without our immigrant community. For generations, people from all over the world have come to the Valley to work hard, pay taxes, and provide for their families. Without them, our economy would crumble. The bipartisan Dignity Act reflects this reality and addresses our broken immigration system, strengthens our southern border, fixes our visa backlog, and grants legal status to hardworking, law-abiding immigrants already living in the United States.”

Representative Hilary Scholten of Michigan said in a statement, “As an attorney who has worked on immigration issues, both at the nation’s top law enforcement agency and at a community legal aid organization, helping migrants in West Michigan, I know this system. I’ve seen firsthand what patchwork and reactionary immigration policies do to families and communities, and I remain committed to creating a system that is both fair and humane, balancing humanitarian concerns with law enforcement.”

What Happens Next

Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, signed into law last weekend, drastically increases funding for immigration enforcement efforts, likely leading to more detentions and deportations.