(José Niño, Headline USA) A bipartisan immigration bill gaining traction in Congress has sparked accusations that the Trump administration is preparing a mass amnesty for illegal immigrants, with critics drawing connections to the policy priorities of the late casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.
Journalist Chris Menahan tweeted that “AIPAC-funded GOP Rep. Mike Lawler is pushing for a mass amnesty plan for illegal immigrants through his bill, ‘The Dignity Act.'” Menahan added that “War with Iran and a mass amnesty is everything the late Sheldon Adelson lobbied for.”
The Dignity Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar and Rep. Veronica Escobar with Lawler as a prominent co-sponsor, would allow illegal aliens who arrived before December 31, 2020 to enter a seven-year “Dignity Program.” Participants would pay $7,000 in restitution, pass background checks, pay back taxes, remain employed, and check in with DHS every two years. Upon completion, they would receive indefinitely renewable work authorization and deportation protection but no pathway to citizenship, no federal benefits, and no ability to sponsor family members.
During a Fox News interview, Lawler declared that the bill “has broad bipartisan support” and emphasized that “if you’ve been here more than five years” and “have not committed a crime,” pay back taxes, pay a fine, have a job, and do not collect government benefits, “they would qualify for a legal status, not citizenship.”
MAGA Amnesty Incoming?
AIPAC-funded GOP Rep. Mike Lawler is pushing for a mass amnesty plan for illegal immigrants through his bill, "The Dignity Act."
He says it has "broad bipartisan support."
"If you've been here more than 5 years—so not the people who came under Joe… pic.twitter.com/RQhj2urCLs
— Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) April 6, 2026
Lawler argued the approach is pragmatic. “The fact is we have over 25 million people in this country, undocumented. You’re not rounding them all up and kicking them out.”
Democratic immigration attorney Michael Wildes, who has represented Melania Trump on immigration matters since 2016, appeared alongside Lawler and endorsed the framework. “We don’t have enough beds, handcuffs, and cars to move 25 plus million people out,” Wildes said. “The question is, are we going to take that golden tool in our toolbox” and “onboard them properly.”
Fox host Brian Kilmeade revealed that Trump himself has signaled interest in such an arrangement. “The president’s talking about a long-term work visa,” Kilmeade said, adding that Trump told him directly, “I’m thinking about doing something for those industries, for the illegals here who came here illegally, but maybe don’t give him citizenship, but give him long-term visas.”
Menahan’s characterization of Lawler as “AIPAC-funded” is supported by OpenSecrets data showing AIPAC was Lawler’s top contributor in the 2023-2024 cycle, with it donating $392,669 to Lawler. AIPAC Tracker has confirmed that “Mike Lawler’s all-time top donor is AIPAC” after receiving $639,253 from the pro-Israel organization.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
