GOP Lawmakers Deeply Split Over Immigration Reform Bill, Awaiting Trump’s Direction

House Republicans are sharply divided over the bipartisan Dignity Act, with conservative members labeling it “mass amnesty” while moderate Republicans tout it as a pragmatic solution to America’s immigration challenges.

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Miami Republican whose district narrowly supported Trump in 2024, has been pushing for her immigration proposal to be marked up in committee and receive a floor vote. Her efforts, however, have met fierce resistance from conservative members of the GOP conference.

“The DIGNIDAD Act is a betrayal of the values that we ran on last election cycle,” Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas said in an interview. “We ran on mass deportations. We said we’re going to do that, so we should.”

The standoff highlights significant ideological fissures within the Republican trifecta elected in 2024. Salazar, representing a Latino-heavy district, is also one of the Democrats’ top targets in November’s midterm elections, adding political pressure to her position.

While Salazar has been in conversation with the White House about the legislation, she didn’t specify whether she had spoken directly with President Donald Trump. “It’s up to him, as an elected official, to determine when is the right timing,” Salazar said regarding Trump. “When does he want to do this within his presidency?”

She added: “No other president has the political guts to do this, Republicans or Democrats, in the last 40 years.”

A White House official responded that the administration would review legislation but remains “focused on enforcing the current immigration laws and deporting the millions and millions of criminal illegal aliens that Joe Biden let in our country.”

The Dignity Act takes a markedly different approach than the mass deportation strategy favored by many conservatives. While not providing a pathway to citizenship, it would allow millions of migrants who entered the United States prior to Biden’s presidency to work legally without fear of deportation.

The legislation also includes provisions to increase border security funding, require employers to use E-Verify, and create a pathway for DACA recipients to obtain permanent residency.

Supporters of the bill argue it appeals to the “mass middle” of Americans who want legal protections for long-term, law-abiding migrants while restricting those who entered illegally after 2021.

“I think, frankly, this is what America is looking for,” said Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican co-sponsoring the bill. “It covers a lot of concerns left and right. I think most people want some level of decency. You’ve been here for a while, you’ve got a family, you’re working, no criminal record.”

Conservative Republicans remain unconvinced. “It’s just amnesty. That’s all that is,” said Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, a staunch immigration hawk.

Gill reported meeting with Salazar for nearly an hour to discuss the legislation but emerged firmly opposed. “This is one we’re just diametrically opposed to in irreconcilable ways,” the Texas Republican said. “I do believe that it very clearly constitutes amnesty.”

The immigration debate comes at a critical juncture for the Republican Party, which must balance hardline campaign promises with the political realities of governing. The impasse also reflects broader tensions within the GOP coalition between immigration hawks and business-oriented conservatives concerned about workforce needs.

Despite the apparent deadlock, Salazar has vowed to continue building support for the bill through traditional legislative channels rather than resorting to extraordinary measures like a discharge petition that could force a floor vote with Democratic support.

“I’m going to do it the hard way,” Salazar told reporters. “I am sure we’re going to be able to get to a yes, and we’re going to be able to solve immigration within the Trump administration. I have no doubt about that. Only God the Father knows the time. I’m just waiting.”