H.R. 3599

Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2023 or as the DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023

This bill addresses immigration-related issues, such as increasing hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel and providing removal deferral for eligible non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law).

For example, the bill

• requires the hiring of additional CBP personnel and authorizes recruitment, relocation, and retention bonuses for CBP personnel;
• provides funding for border infrastructure and equipment;
• makes it a crime to transmit the location of law enforcement with the intent to violate immigration laws or certain other federal laws;
• requires employers to verify the immigration status of individuals using an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system;
• requires unaccompanied alien children to be processed and reunited with U.S.-based sponsors in accordance with the Flores settlement, which established policies pertaining to the treatment of minors without lawful immigration status;
• requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to address the key factors contributing to individuals from Central America traveling to the United States;
• provides a path to permanent resident status to eligible individuals without lawful immigration status who entered the United States as minors (commonly referred to as Dreamers);
• establishes the Dignity Program, which defers the removal of eligible individuals without lawful immigration status who meet various requirements, including paying into a fund to provide training to U.S. workers; and
• establishes the Redemption Program, which provides a path to permanent resident status to individuals who complete the Dignity Program and meet various requirements, including making additional payments into the U.S. worker fund.