It is one of the ironies of our time that the immigration crisis now overwhelming America began with Democrats encouraging people to come, even building an app to ease the process and relying on a manipulated judicial system to allow them to stay, despite contradictions with our laws. Millions took that invitation seriously.
Conservatives recognize this existential threat for what it is and they are backing President Trump’s push to secure the border and remove criminals, whose only goal was to escape justice in their home countries, or spies and terrorists intent on harming us. But some are leaning more compassionate with families, students, workers, and settled neighbors whose goal is only a better life. It seems an emerging view is firm on law and order and gentle with those who respect America.
It just occurs to us at NP, that given that these folks were invited by the United States of America (no matter what bungling idiot of a President Biden made the call to do it), the United States must respect the hopes and efforts of these people, even if we have to ask them to leave.
Why businesses are asking for humane, practical reforms
Conservatives are in some instances responding to economic reality. Business groups warn that fear and disruptions are hollowing out key industries. Rebecca Shi of the American Business Immigration Coalition argued that after securing the border, the next step is to “secure our workforce.” She said long-time residents, Dreamers, farmworkers, and essential workers should be able to “work, pay taxes, and legally come out of the shadows,” while employers gain a stable pipeline of talent.
Leaders from the Comité de 100 connected the dots to the broader economy. Massey Villareal said, “Creating a better America is a bipartisan issue and we certainly need the workforce to do it.” Sam Sanchez urged Republicans and Democrats to “bring common sense to Congress,” noting that more than forty years have passed without meaningful reform. Ramiro Cavazos of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce called immigration fixes “economic necessities,” saying they are vital to an economy that is not replicating at the level it should. Ana Valdez of the Latino Donor Collaborative highlighted scale, saying Latinos contributed $3.6 trillion to U.S. GDP and that if Latinos were a country they would be the fifth largest economy in the world.
On the ground, conservative business voices are blunt. Former Arizona state senator Bob Worsley reported that some firms have “already lost their entire workforce due to deportation fears.” Andy Johnston of the Grand Rapids Chamber pushed back on the myth that immigrants drain resources, saying immigrants “don’t take tax dollars — they generate them” and “keep our local companies here.”
A conservative blueprint: dignity with enforcement
The DIGNITY Act, led by Representative María Elvira Salazar with bipartisan partners, captures this balance. It pairs tough measures to end illegal immigration with structured, earned legal status for long-settled, law-abiding undocumented immigrants. It mandates nationwide E-Verify, builds and equips the border, raises penalties on traffickers, and replaces catch-and-release with fast, orderly asylum processing in Humanitarian Campuses that aim to resolve claims within 60 days.
For those already here, the bill sets a seven-year Dignity Program requiring background checks, repayment of back taxes, and $7,000 in restitution over seven years, along with steady work and good standing. Participants gain protection from deportation and full work authorization but no access to federal means-tested benefits. Dreamers and DACA recipients receive conditional permanent resident status with a path to adjust through work experience, military service, or higher education. Salazar describes it as “a commonsense solution” where immigrants can earn legal status, “not citizenship,” by working, paying taxes, and contributing. The program’s restitution payments would fund an American Worker Fund that upskills U.S. workers, while an immigration infrastructure levy covers border and processing costs.
This is not blanket amnesty. It is a rules-based path that keeps pressure on the border, redirects enforcement toward criminals, and stabilizes a workforce that employers say is essential.
Faith-rooted conservatives reinforcing compassion
Evangelical leaders have pressed for a humane approach consistent with conservative values. The Evangelical Immigration Table lays out principles that respect the God-given dignity of every person, protect family unity, secure the border, ensure fairness to taxpayers, and establish a path to legal status and citizenship for those who qualify. They call Dreamer protections a moral issue and support a restitution-based legalization for adults who pass background checks and pay fines, explicitly rejecting both mass amnesty and mass deportation.
This faith voice gives conservatives a clear moral framework. It honors the rule of law, insists on secure borders, and protects families who have become part of American communities.
Local standards for humane enforcement
Even at the county level, conservative and mixed bodies are setting expectations for how enforcement should look. In Hays County, Texas, commissioners unanimously passed a resolution urging humane treatment, transparency, and visible identification by officers, with body cameras and clear notification to local leaders when arrests and transports occur. The goal is to protect due process, civil liberties, and public trust while avoiding tactics that create fear among law-abiding workers and families.
Policymakers and advocates on the right are coalescing around a related set of methods. First, mandatory E-Verify and hardening the border are non-negotiable. Second, streamline asylum to end abuse and resolve valid claims rapidly. Third, provide earned legal status with fines, background checks, steady work, and civics standards for law-abiding immigrants who have been here for years. Fourth, deliver permanent protections for Dreamers with a responsible path to citizenship. Fifth, set humane enforcement standards that prioritize criminals, require transparent identification, and keep families intact where the law allows. Finally, tie everything to the needs of the American economy so employers can plan, invest, and grow.
Democrats helped create this crisis by encouraging illegal entry in defiance of our laws. Conservatives are now advancing a firmer, more coherent approach. The priority is to secure the border and get rid of criminals. At the same time, Republicans are proving they are a compassionate party. They are stepping in for students, mothers, veterans’ families, and long-time neighbors. They are listening to businesses and churches that keep communities strong. They are building frameworks like the DIGNITY Act to restore order while honoring human dignity. This is how we counter an existential crisis created by bad policy and still preserve the humanity and consideration due to people who want a better life and respect America.
