Congress revisits status of long-term undocumented residents

By Alexander Fernandez

Reporter Life News Today

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan immigration bill introduced this year could open new legal pathways for undocumented immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades, reviving a long-running debate in Congress over whether time spent in the country should count toward lawful status.

The proposal, known as the Dignity Act of 2025, is one of several measures lawmakers are considering that would treat long-term U.S. residence as a qualifying factor in immigration law. If enacted, it could allow eligible immigrants to apply for lawful status, work authorization, and, over time, permanent residency under a structured process. For millions of immigrants who have lived in the country for years without legal status, the bill represents a renewed effort to address a population that has remained largely excluded from past reforms.

For many immigrants, the possibility of legal status carries deep personal meaning.

“Para mí, la idea de vivir y trabajar legalmente en este país es símbolo de estabilidad emocional. También lo veo como un puente a nuevas oportunidades, para romper barreras y obstáculos que puedan limitar el desarrollo y crecimiento como persona,” an undocumented immigrant wishing to remain anonymous said (“For me, the idea of living and working legally in this country is a symbol of emotional stability. I also see it as a bridge to new opportunities, to break barriers and obstacles that can limit personal development and growth.”)

As of late 2025, lawmakers have introduced several bills aimed at creating legal pathways for immigrants who have lived in the United States for seven years, 10 years, or longer. None of the proposals have become law, and all would require passage by Congress and the president’s signature. Still, taken together, they signal a renewed focus on long-term undocumented residents that has been largely absent from federal immigration policy for decades.

The Dignity Act of 2025, introduced in the House as H.R. 4393, would create a new lawful status for certain undocumented immigrants who meet strict eligibility requirements. Applicants would need to prove continuous United States presence, pass criminal and national security background checks, pay required fees and restitution, and remain employed. The bill envisions a multi-step process, beginning with a provisional status and potentially leading to lawful permanent residency for those who remain in compliance over time.

If passed, the bill would not grant automatic green cards. Instead, it would establish a regulated pathway designed to balance legal certainty for long-term residents with enforcement, screening, and compliance standards.

The bill also seeks to address long-standing delays in the immigration system. For immigrants who have remained in backlogs for 10 years or longer, passage could mean faster case review and temporary protection from removal while applications are processed. For families caught in prolonged legal limbo, supporters say this could reduce years of uncertainty.

Not all immigrants would qualify. Eligibility would be limited, and disqualifying criminal convictions, fraud, or security concerns would bar participation. Even if enacted, the proposals would not create universal relief. For some immigrants, the details of the process itself raise concern.

“Una de las preocupaciones podría ser la dureza con la que se maneje la documentación y el proceso de los casos. Sobre todo qué pasaría si la agencia determina que una persona no cumple con todos los requisitos y deja su estadía en evidencia,” an undocumented immigrant who wished to remain anonymous said (“One of the concerns could be how strictly the documentation and case process are handled, especially what would happen if the agency determines that a person does not meet all the requirements and exposes their immigration status”).

Alongside the Dignity Act, lawmakers are also revisiting one of the oldest provisions in the United States immigration law: the Registry statute.

Under current law, Registry allows immigrants to apply for permanent legal status only if they can prove continuous United States presence since before Jan. 1, 1972. Congress has not updated the cutoff date in more than five decades, rendering the provision largely inaccessible to today’s undocumented population.

Separate legislation seeks to modernize Registry by replacing the fixed 1972 cutoff with a rolling eligibility date tied to continuous United States presence. Bills introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., in the Senate and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., in the House would allow immigrants who meet a continuous-residence threshold, such as seven years, to apply directly for lawful permanent residency, subject to background checks and good moral character requirements.

Supporters argue that updating Registry would rely on an existing legal framework rather than creating a new visa category, providing a clearer and more efficient path for long-term residents. Similar Registry updates enacted decades ago legalized immigrants who had lived in the country for extended periods.

Policy experts say the renewed focus on long-term residents reflects how deeply undocumented immigrants have become embedded in American society.

"Unauthorized immigrants pay sales taxes, as does everybody else, and very significant numbers of them also have federal and state tax withholding in their paychecks,” said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for the Migration Policy Institute. She added that undocumented immigrants “pay taxes, amounting to tens of billions of dollars in local, state, and federal taxes per year.”

Despite renewed legislative attention, many immigrants remain cautious, shaped by years of stalled reform efforts.

“El Congreso ha discutido legislación similar antes, y nunca llega a nada. Ojalá fuera cierto, pero como alguien que ha trabajado y pagado impuestos aquí por más de 20 años, es desalentador. Da falsas esperanzas, y he aprendido a no ilusionarme,” another undocumented immigrant who wished to remain anonymous said (“Congress has discussed similar legislation before, and it never amounts to anything. I wish it were true, but as someone who has worked and paid taxes here for more than 20 years, it is demoralizing. It gives false hope, and I have learned not to get my hopes up.”)

Immigration legislation has repeatedly stalled due to partisan divisions, procedural barriers, and disagreements over enforcement priorities, border policy, and eligibility rules. Major reform efforts in past decades have failed to advance beyond Congress, leaving long-term undocumented residents without lasting legal solutions.

For now, the legal framework remains unchanged. Registry remains limited to immigrants who arrived before 1972. Until Congress acts and legislation is signed into law, existing immigration rules continue to apply.

As lawmakers debate whether long-term residence should finally carry legal weight, immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades continue to weigh hope against experience, watching closely to see whether renewed proposals translate into lasting law or join a long list of stalled reforms.