The introduction of the Dignity Act of 2025 in the U.S. House of Representatives marks a rare bipartisan attempt to overhaul several critical components of our immigration system. Introduced by Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), the bill pairs heightened enforcement measures with long-overdue reforms to legal immigration pathways. This includes provisions that would directly impact employers and high-skilled immigrants, particularly those dealing with green card backlogs, student visa challenges, or the need to retain top global talent. More details, including the complete text of the bill can be found here.

The bill provides a significant give and take, balancing enforcement provisions, border security, asylum reform, and mandatory E-verify with provisions for dreamers, high-skilled immigrants, and the employment-based backlogged community. In this blog post, we focus on the sections of the Dignity Act most relevant to U.S. employers and high-skilled foreign nationals. These include the proposal for mandatory E-Verify, relief through the American Families United Act, reforms targeting long-standing legal immigration delays, and updates to employment-based and student visa programs.

At the outset, it is important to note this bill is in its infancy, only intruded July 15, 2025. So while we discuss the provisions of the initial bill, it is likely to go through many changes and may not ever become a law. That said, in this article, we also offer practical guidance on how you can advocate for this legislation.

Mandatory E-Verify: What Employers Need to Know

One of the enforcement provisions of the Dignity Act is a phased-in, nationwide mandate for employers to use an electronic system to verify employment eligibility. Under the bill, E-Verify would become mandatory for all employers, replacing the current I-9 verification system with a new electronic Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS).

The implementation would be phased based on employer size, starting with the largest companies. Employers with 10,000 or more employees would have six months to comply, while those with fewer than 20 employees would have up to 24 months. There are also specific allowances for agricultural employers and very small businesses needing additional time.

Employers would need to verify all new hires through the EEVS and attest to their legal work status. The bill also includes increased penalties for knowingly hiring unauthorized workers, and new penalties for submitting false information to the system. While the compliance burden will increase, the E-Verify provision is also seen as a tradeoff for the bill’s legalization and backlog reduction measures.

Family Unity: Incorporating the American Families United Act

The Dignity Act incorporates key elements of the American Families United Act to address hardships faced by U.S. citizens whose spouses or children are at risk of deportation. The bill would allow immigration authorities to exercise discretion in certain cases where a removal or denial would result in extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen family member.

Specifically, it would:

• Allow waivers for certain inadmissibility and deportability grounds.
• Permit advance permission to reapply for admission for individuals facing long-term bars.
• Allow DHS and immigration judges to decline to issue or reinstate removal orders.

The bill also proposes a temporary 90-day “Family Purposes Visa” for relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to attend significant family events such as weddings, funerals, and reunions. This reads as though it would be similar to a B visa, but with the specific design of visiting family in the US, might help with the immigrant intent issues family members of US Citizens and permanent residents face with B visas. This section reflects a growing recognition that immigration policy should prioritize family unity and mitigate unnecessary separations.

Fixing the Legal Immigration Backlogs

The Dignity Act includes provisions aimed at making the legal immigration process more efficient and fair. Among the most impactful changes are the elimination of backlogs and reforms to per-country caps.

• The bill proposes a goal to eliminate employment- and family-based green card backlogs by 2035.
• Individuals who have been waiting in line for 10 or more years would be able to pay a premium processing fee to secure a green card. The current proposal is $20,000 per green card.
• The annual per-country cap for both employment-based and family-based green cards would be raised from 7% to 15%.

These changes would especially benefit applicants from high-demand countries like India and China, who often face multi-decade waits despite maintaining lawful status and contributing to the U.S. economy.

The bill also includes protections for “Documented Dreamers” – children of long-term visa holders who risk aging out of their dependent status. It would provide these individuals with a path to permanent residency if they have maintained continuous legal status in the U.S. for at least 10 years.

Employment and Student Visa Reforms

The Dignity Act modernizes several aspects of the employment-based and student visa systems to better align with workforce and economic needs.

Key provisions include:

• Derivative Beneficiaries: Dependents (spouses and children) of principal green card applicants would no longer count against annual visa caps. This would free up more green cards for principal applicants, effectively increasing visa availability. This would greatly reduce the green card backlog as the current system counts derivatives which reduces the number of green cards available.
• F-1 Dual Intent: The bill would formally allow F-1 student visa holders to have “dual intent,” meaning they could study in the U.S. while also intending to pursue permanent residency in the future. This removes the outdated requirement that students must show no intent to immigrate when applying for their visas.
• STEM PhD O-1 Presumption: The bill creates a presumption of eligibility for an O-1 visa (reserved for individuals of extraordinary ability) for individuals earning a Ph.D. in a STEM or medical field from a U.S. institution.
• Immigration Agency Coordinator: A new coordinator role would be established to streamline communication and processing between USCIS, the Department of State, and the Department of Labor. This aims to reduce processing delays and improve the efficiency of employment-based immigration adjudications.

Advocacy: How You Can Help Support the Dignity Act

The Dignity Act of 2025 is still a bill in the House of Representatives. For it to become law, it will need support from a majority of House members and eventually the Senate. You can help increase the chances of this bill moving forward by contacting your representatives and urging them to support it.

Here’s how to take action:

1. Find Your Representatives: Visit www.house.gov and www.senate.gov to find your elected officials.
2. Make Contact: Send an email or call your representative’s office. Let them know you support the Dignity Act (H.R. 4393) and that you believe it strikes the right balance between enforcement and meaningful legal immigration reform.
3. Be Specific: Mention why the bill matters to you. For example:
   • As an employer, it would help you retain key talent and navigate a more predictable legal immigration system.
   • As a high-skilled immigrant, it would offer a fairer process and reduce the uncertainty and delay.
4. Spread the Word: Encourage friends, colleagues, and networks to do the same. The more constituents lawmakers hear from, the more likely they are to act.

Conclusion

The Dignity Act of 2025 represents a serious effort to modernize the U.S. immigration system by combining strong enforcement with pro-family and pro-business reforms. For high-skilled immigrants and employers, it addresses some of the most frustrating and damaging issues in our current system: backlogs, per-country caps, student intent barriers, and inefficient agency processing.

Now is the time to engage. With bipartisan sponsors and a comprehensive scope, the Dignity Act presents a real opportunity for reform. If you believe in a balanced and fair immigration system that serves both our economy and our values, we encourage you to contact your representatives and voice your support.

By: Steven Brown

Steven A. Brown is a Partner at Reddy Neumann Brown PC, where he leads the firm’s Litigation Team, addressing delays and denials of immigration benefits, FOIA requests, and policy and regulatory challenges. Steven is dedicated to delivering practical and effective solutions for clients facing unreasonably delayed or unlawfully withheld immigration benefits, including Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), advance parole, green cards, 221(g) decisions, EB-5 delays, and other immigration-related matters. His litigation efforts were instrumental in Shergill, et al. v. Mayorkas, a landmark case that led to the U.S. government recognizing that under the INA, L-2 and E visa spouses are authorized to work incident to their status, eliminating the need for separate EAD applications. This case has transformed work authorization for thousands of families across the United States.