Valley builders back bill to let longtime undocumented workers work legally

The Rio Grande Valley’s construction industry says a bipartisan immigration bill that would grant longtime undocumented workers a temporary legal work status could ease the region’s labor shortages and construction delays tied to immigration raids.

Supporters describe the bill, known as the Dignity Act, as a bipartisan attempt to strengthen border security while also giving longtime undocumented workers a legal way to work through a temporary legal status program for immigrants without a criminal record who meet strict requirements.

The Valley’s business community has been warning that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at construction worksite raids have disrupted the construction industry across the Valley. Over the past six months, federal agents have often swept up workers with legal status alongside those without it, both of which have led to delays and canceled projects. 

On Wednesday, the Rio Grande Valley Builders Association hosted a legislative roundup with U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-McAllen, and the legislative director of the National Association of Home Builders Sam Gillboard, to discuss the status of immigration reform. 

At the crux of the issue is a labor shortage, Gilboard said. 

“We are facing an incredible workforce deficit right now in the construction industry,” he said. “We just do not have the domestic labor to meet that demand.”

Both U.S. Reps Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and De La Cruz are consponsors of the Dignity Act.

“Right now, we are talking about the economic impact in the construction area and how the ICE raids have affected this area. Not only with the construction workers but downstream,” De La Cruz said. 

Next week, she expects to meet with the speaker of the House Mike Johnson to discuss the Dignity Act as a member of the Congressional Hispanic Conference. 

“Maybe to take the Dignity Act into different sections so that it can be more palatable for both sides of the aisle,” she said.

The bill, filed in mid-2025, has yet to emerge from committee, let alone a vote on the House floor. It includes various provisions, from border security to ensuring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients continue to have legal work authorization. 

For longtime undocumented workers, there’s a proposed process to earn temporary legal status. The seven-year program would enable immigrants without a criminal record to pay $7,000 in restitution and taxes if they regularly check-in with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and allow biometric screenings. The bill does not offer a path to citizenship. 

Beyond that, De La Cruz said she met with the Trump administration’s legislative director to discuss how immigration policies, such as the ICE raids, are affecting the economy in South Texas. 

“It was a positive conversation, and I believe [ it ] opens the door for more discussion,” De La Cruz told the Rio Grande Valley Business Journal on Wednesday. “I believe that he (Trump) is a bold president who would be the president to actually make real change happen when it comes to immigration reform.” 

Johnny Vasquez, executive director of the Rio Grande Valley Builders Association, says he’s optimistic that lawmakers are getting closer to a solution for the labor issues. The  builders association, through its national lobbying arm, introduced De La Cruz to the legislation about six months ago, Vasquez said. 

“It’s been 40 years since any reform has been made [on immigration]. We feel like this is the time that we’re gonna see something happen. So we’re excited,” he said. “We need workers and we need solutions. We don’t want to get in the way of law enforcement, we’re just trying to finish homes.”