Maria Salazar And Brandon Gill Throw Down Over Amnesty Bill

A social media showdown is unfolding between Florida Republican Rep. Maria Salazar and Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill over the Dignity Act.

The DIGNIDAD (Dignity Act) , which is marketed around five main principles — securing the border and ending illegal immigration, reforming the asylum system to make it more efficient and reduce catch-and-release practices, providing a legal solution for certain illegal immigrants already in the U.S., protecting American workers and key industries facing labor shortages and modernizing legal immigration to better align with current economic needs — was sponsored by Salazar and reintroduced in July 2025.

READ. THE. BILL. BEFORE. YOU. OPEN. YOUR. MOUTH.

Calling the DIGNITY Act “amnesty” isn’t just wrong. It’s a deliberate distortion and it exposes just how little you know about the bill.

This is enforcement first: zero tolerance for criminals, permanent border security, and… https://t.co/mWYBWEbup0

— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 7, 2026

Supporters of the bill argue this legal solution is not traditional amnesty or a direct path to citizenship, while detractors like Gill claim it is a form of amnesty and a betrayal of the party’s voters’ position on illegal immigration. (RELATED: Republicans Offer Trump Perfect Opportunity To Blow Up His Legacy)

In an exchange on X Gill called out Salazar’s legislation writing, “The Dignity Act is mass amnesty and would constitute a terrible betrayal of our voters.”

Salazar responded on X.

“READ. THE. BILL. BEFORE. YOU. OPEN. YOUR. MOUTH.” She denied the bill provides amnesty to illegals and claimed it’s a “deliberate distortion” that exposes his lack of knowledge of the bill.

Maria, your ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ would give legal status to over 10 million illegal aliens.

It’s rank amnesty and everybody knows it.

I want dignity for Americans – the people whose interests we represent – not illegal aliens. That means doing what we said we’d do: mass deportations. https://t.co/Dfikdclsam

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) April 7, 2026

The Florida congresswoman outlined the principles of the bill before accusing Gill of defending amnesty, writing on X, “Amnesty is the chaos you’ve defended, millions in the shadows, no control, no accountability, and a system that stopped working a long time ago. No shortcuts. No giveaways. No blanket forgiveness. That’s law and order. That’s DIGNITY.”

In response, Gill pointed to the bill’s title, which is first stated in Spanish.

“Maria, your ‘DIGNIDAD Act’ would give legal status to over 10 million illegal aliens. It’s rank amnesty and everybody knows it. I want dignity for Americans – the people whose interests we represent – not illegal aliens. That means doing what we said we’d do: mass deportations,” Gill wrote. (RELATED: Leavitt Suggests Trump Would Veto GOP-Led Amnesty Bill)

Salazar went on to respond to Gill in a 7 part thread on X. She began by writing, “Brandon, let’s get something straight: I want DIGNITY for Americans and I put Americans first.”

1/ Brandon, let’s get something straight: I want DIGNITY for Americans and I put Americans first.

Here are the facts: https://t.co/LuYMeHjdkk

— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 8, 2026

Gill has since taken to X to escalate his criticism of the legislation, arguing that its potential passage would run counter to both voters and President Donald Trump’s agenda.

The spat over the legislation was reignited just less than a year prior to its introduction. This came after Republican New York Rep. Mike Lawler and the bill’s co-sponsor appeared on an interview Sunday on Fox News’ One Nation with Brian Kilmeade, where he renewed the push for a mass amnesty plan for illegal immigrants. (RELATED: GOP Lawmaker Mike Lawler Attempts To Resurrect Amnesty Plan)

During the interview, Lawler stated that the Dignity Act enjoys broad bipartisan support from Democrats and 18 Republicans, noting that the bill has gained significantly more co-sponsors in the current Congress compared to the previous one. He suggested that lawmakers are increasingly recognizing the seriousness of the immigration problem and argued that the U.S. immigration system is decades out of date and needs a comprehensive overhaul.

The Daily Caller reached out to Gill and Salazar’s offices but has not heard back as of publication.