Republican lawmakers are criticizing 11 of their colleagues for backing a bill that would grant amnesty to certain migrants, providing a pathway to U.S. citizenship.
On Tuesday, Florida's Republic Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar introduced the Dignity Act of 2025 alongside Texas' Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar. The bill includes comprehensive immigrations reforms, including asylum process improvements, legal status for undocumented Americans, accountability for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.
In addition to Salazar, who called the bill "the most impactful immigration reform in a generation," 10 Republicans threw their support behind the bill, including Florida Rep. Mario Rafael Diaz-Balart, Pennsylvania Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Mike Kelly, and California Reps. David Valadao and Young Kim.
Following White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt's Thursday statement that President Donald Trump "will not support amnesty for illegal aliens in any way," as seen in a clip circulating on X, Republicans rallied behind the president's uncompromising stance on immigration.
"NO amnesty! Thank you @POTUS," Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs wrote in a follow-up post. Ahead of Trump beginning his second presidential term in January, Biggs reiterated that his primary priority was securing the Mexico-U.S. border.
NO amnesty!
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) July 17, 2025
Thank you @POTUS. https://t.co/SAKNcqEm1z
"Some of my colleagues in Congress want to reward illegal aliens with amnesty. No amnesty — only mass deportations," Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany declared. He called for the arrest of Wisconsin Judge Monica Isham, the first minority and first Native American to become a Wisconsin Circuit Court judge, after she threatened not to hold court following Judge Hannah Dugan's arrest.
🚨Some of my colleagues in Congress want to reward illegal aliens with amnesty.
— Rep. Tom Tiffany (@RepTiffany) July 17, 2025
No amnesty — only mass deportations.
"NO amnesty. And NO more mass immigration (ie, cheap labor). Americans need jobs - and higher wages. Exactly what Trump won on," Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley wrote in a post on X, sharing a Fox News interview in which he claimed that immigrants are taking jobs Americans want.
NO amnesty. And NO more mass immigration (ie, cheap labor). Americans need jobs - and higher wages. Exactly what Trump won on. pic.twitter.com/QIUMMFl2wm
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 17, 2025
"Let me be clear: there should be no amnesty for those who broke our laws and entered our country illegally," Texas Rep. Keith Self declared on X.
"This doesn't mean some amnesty or a little amnesty. It means NO amnesty. NO amnesty lite. NO amnesty under a different name. NO amnesty under any circumstances whatsoever," he continued.
Self made waves in April when he shared a quote from infamous Nazi Joseph Goebbels about "supervising the formation of public opinion," during a congressional hearing, Daily Beast reported at the time.
Let me be clear: there should be no amnesty for those who broke our laws and entered our country illegally.
— Rep. Keith Self (@RepKeithSelf) July 17, 2025
This doesn’t mean some amnesty or a little amnesty. It means NO amnesty. NO amnesty lite. NO amnesty under a different name. NO amnesty under any circumstances whatsoever.
The Dignity Act was initially introduced in 2023 but gained little traction. The latest iteration would allow migrants to apply for "dignity" status if they have lived in the U.S. for more than five years, have a clean criminal record, and are working and paying taxes. If approved, applicants would pay a $7,000 fine over seven years and be required to cover their own health insurance without access to federal aid programs, according to NBC Miami.
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