American Prosperity and Competitiveness Act

Key Points

• The bill authorizes $2 billion per year from 2026 through 2030 for border security, including physical barriers, surveillance technology, drones, and new ports of entry. Border Patrol agents at the GS-12 level would get at least a 14% pay raise, and the bill requires at least 95,000 annual flight hours for Air and Marine Operations.
• The bill creates a 7-year Dignity Program for undocumented people who have been in the U.S. since December 31, 2020. Participants must pay $7,000 in restitution over time, pass background checks, stay employed or in school for at least 4 years, carry health insurance, and pay a 1% income tax. After completing the program, they get renewable legal status with work and travel authorization.
• The Dream Act portion gives people who came to the U.S. as children before age 18 and have been here since January 1, 2021, a path to conditional permanent residency and eventually full green cards. They must meet education or employment requirements and pass criminal background checks.
• E-Verify becomes mandatory for all employers in the U.S. on a phased timeline. The largest employers (10,000+ workers) must comply within 6 months, mid-size employers within 12 to 18 months, and the smallest businesses within 24 months. Agricultural employers get 30 months. Penalties for hiring violations jump sharply, with fines up to $25,000 per offense.
• At least 3 humanitarian campuses would be built along the southern border to process asylum seekers within 15 days. These centers would provide medical care, legal orientation, and access to attorneys. A new expedited asylum process uses two-person officer panels to approve or deny claims within 45 days, with appeal options.
• Legal immigration backlogs would be reduced by allowing people who have waited more than 10 years for a visa to pay a $20,000 premium processing fee. Per-country visa caps rise from 7% to 15%. Spouses and children of employment-based green card holders would no longer count against annual visa limits, and a new family visitation visa is created.