Not perfect, but a start

Abipartisan House group has offered a path forward on a controversial issue: immigration. A handful of Democrats and Republicans in the lower chamber announced they would introduce the Dignity Act, which The Washington Post described as “the most robust immigration proposal to date this Congress.”

Notably, the six main co-sponsors— three Republican, three Democrat—are Hispanic members of Congress who represent border states. The primary authors are Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas).

“We’re not each pursuing the perfect as we see it,” Rep. Salazar said. “We are pursuing a compromise that is real, that is common sense.”

Under the proposal, Congress would add more Border Patrol agents “as well as additional surveillance technology and border fencing,” The Wall Street Journal reported. At the same time, the bill would allow those who have been living in the United States illegally for at least five years to pay a $5,000 fine over seven years to gain protection against deportation. At that point, they could pay another $5,000 fine and gain permanent resident status or start the process of citizenship.

The bill also creates processing centers and “humanitarian campuses” for those awaiting adjudication of their status. Employers—including those in the agriculture business—would face stricter E-Verify requirements regarding their workers, the Journal notes. The Dignity Act would boost the number of visas and green cards available to meet demand and create a new year-round visa program for farmworkers—while also more quickly deporting those who aren’t granted asylum.

GOP leaders have vowed not to take up immigration reform until passing a border security law. But all these issues are intertwined. There’s nothing politically compromising about House Republicans using the Dignity Act as a starting point for serious talks on this contentious issue.

The Dignity Act deserves a fair hearing.