Op-Ed: Meaningful Immigration Reform Requires Us To Lead With Dignity

Opinion By David Santiago, Florida strategic director for The LIBRE Initiative.

Americans consistently rank immigration as one of the most important issues. We’re tired of waiting for Washington to do something to fix our long-broken system.

That’s why the immigration provisions in the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act were a welcome change. The law funds increased border security personnel and infrastructure for a stronger, safer nation.

Unlawful border crossings have reached historic lows, and the border is quieter than it has been in years.

But we in Florida know that immigration is a good and necessary part of our everyday lives. That’s why we want both a secure border and streamlined, effective legal immigration pathways.

Thankfully, Florida’s own Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is leading the charge with her reintroduced Dignity Act.

The Dignity Act would further increase border security measures while also increasing pathways to legal status and streamlining legal immigration.

On border security, the Dignity Act calls for increased security infrastructure and personnel, better technology, quick asylum adjudication, and harsher punishment for those knowingly committing asylum fraud.

But it’s not just about keeping those out who are not going to be positive contributors to this nation. The bill cuts red tape for immigrants with needed skills who can fill economic gaps such as seasonal and farm workers. It would also eliminate many of the barriers to STEM studies so students can learn and work in those fields here in the U.S.

These measures, combined with a stronger border, will disincentivize illegal immigration.

Of course, one piece of legislation isn’t going to fix the whole system. That is going to take a much more concerted effort in Congress and in the states. Polling from the LIBRE Institute shows this is what Americans, specifically Hispanics, want.

Latinos place illegal immigration and border security as a top concern, just below inflation and the economy. The percentage of Latinos believing this is the most important issue increased from 6% to 11% in just a year.

Most Latinos polled, 86% and 87% respectively, believe the legal immigration system is broken and that there should be more legal pathways to immigration.

A large majority, 72%, also believe the legal immigration system makes it too hard for immigrants to follow the rules and come in legally. To that end, 73% of Hispanics support doing what is necessary to stop the flow of illegal immigration at the Southern border and incentivizing highly skilled and educated immigrants to come to the United States.

Many have gone through the legal immigration system themselves and know that achieving the American Dream as an immigrant is filled with bureaucracy, red tape, confusing requirements, and a whole lot of paperwork.

But while 81% of Hispanics believe the American Dream will be harder to achieve for the next generation, we also believe it’s still alive and well worth pursuing. That is most easily done for those who want to be part of the American story with a streamlined immigration system that provides for national security and clearer pathways to work and citizenship. A long-term, well written immigration policy can achieve all those goals at the same time.

Rep. Salazar is right to focus on dignity as an aspect of her immigration proposals, and we as a nation should look to that principle to guide us as well.

Each provision within the Dignity Act encourages contributing and motivated legal immigrants to move to America while also stymying the flow of dangerous and unscrupulous individuals across our borders. Those who want to truly invest in becoming American through work, community service, and education programs would be prioritized to benefit them and the country itself.

This legislation proves we don’t have to choose between protecting our people and uplifting new ones. When we welcome those who contribute and stand firm against those who harm, we honor the values that make America thrive.

We can come together as Floridians, lawmakers, and everyday Americans to shape a future that is secure, welcoming, and full of promise. Our strength as a nation grows when we harness the ideals, talents, and contributions of people seeking a better life in the U.S.

The time to lead with dignity is now.

David Santiago is the Florida strategic director for The LIBRE Initiative. 

Originally posted on Tampa Free Press.