Brandon Gil Pushes Back on DIGNIDAD Act as Midterms Approach

Representative Brandon Gil (R-TX) is pushing back hard against a bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill making its way through the House of Representatives, arguing it rewards illegal immigration and undercuts American workers, putting him at odds with colleagues on both sides of the aisle who see the legislation as a rare workable compromise.

Rep. Gil took to X this week to denounce the DIGNIDAD Act, a reform bill co-authored by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX).

"Use all the euphemistic generalizations you want, but it's still an amnesty bill," Gil wrote, adding that the legislation would give legal status to roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants while expanding work visas, which he says drive down American wages.

The bill, formally known as H.R. 4393, was reintroduced in July 2025 and has since picked up 39 co-sponsors, 20 Democrats and 19 Republicans.

It has also earned endorsements from more than 75 organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Background on Legislation

At its core, the legislation would create a seven-year legal status program for undocumented immigrants who arrived before December 31, 2020, and have lived in the country for at least five years.

Applicants would need to pass background checks, pay a $7,000 fine over the course of the program, and stay employed and tax-compliant. The bill does not offer a direct path to citizenship.

Supporters say those conditions make it a reasonable middle ground. Critics like Gil say the conditions don't matter; the outcome is the same.

"Mass migration is wrecking our working class, tearing apart America's social fabric, and making our communities unrecognizable," Gil wrote. "Our voters want their country back. They voted for mass deportations, and that's what we owe them."

The bill also includes border security investments, mandatory E-Verify for employers, asylum processing reforms, and Dream Act protections for childhood arrivals.

Restitution payments collected from program participants would fund job training for American workers.

Despite its growing support, the bill faces long odds.

Republican leadership controls the House floor schedule and has signaled little appetite for an immigration vote heading into the 2026 midterms.