$20K Fast-Track Green Cards? What the New US Immigration Bill Proposes

The lengthy wait and complex pathways of the US Green Card may soon undergo a shake-up. US Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Florida) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) have unveiled the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393), a renewed bipartisan push to modernise America’s immigration system, an area many agree is overdue for change.

The goal of this newly introduced bill is to eliminate the legal immigration backlog by 2035. Let’s break down what this legislation means and who it could help.

Green Cards for $20,000: Who Qualifies?

At the heart of the bill is a controversial but potentially game-changing provision: anyone in the employment-based or family-based green card backlog who has been waiting for over a decade can pay $20,000 to expedite their application.

This isn’t open to everyone. It’s targeted at people who’ve already played by the rules, filed their petitions, waited patiently, and remained in legal status, many of whom are from high-demand countries like India and China.

The premium payment wouldn’t just buy speed. It would cap individual wait times and give the system a way to gradually eliminate decades-long bottlenecks.

Major Relief for Indian and Chinese Applicants

The bill also proposes raising the per-country cap on green cards from 7% to 15%. That’s a big deal for nationals from countries with huge backlogs, particularly India, where some applicants face wait times of 20+ years just because of where they were born.

This increase could finally bring some fairness to a system where the odds have long been stacked unevenly.

Documented Dreamers Get a Path to Stay

The bill directly addresses a long-ignored group: documented dreamers. These are children of skilled foreign workers who were brought to the US legally on dependent visas but age out of the system when they turn 21.

Under the Dignity Act, anyone who’s lived in the US legally for 10 cumulative years would be eligible to apply for lawful permanent residency, even if they’ve aged out. That could protect thousands of young adults from falling into legal limbo.

Immigration Agencies Get a Boost Too

To make all of this work, the bill includes a proposed $3.6 billion in funding. This would go toward clearing backlogs and modernising visa processing at the Department of State, Department of Labour, and USCIS.

It also calls for the creation of a new Immigration Agency Coordinator, a role designed to improve coordination and cut bureaucratic friction across agencies.

Is This the Breakthrough the System Needs?

That’s the big question. Immigration reform has been a political minefield for years. The Dignity Act of 2025 is being framed as a bipartisan, pragmatic fix, “tough and fair,” in Salazar’s words.

But it’s also bound to spark debate. Critics may baulk at the idea of letting people “pay their way” to the front of the line. Supporters will argue it’s a lifeline for those who’ve waited far too long.

Either way, if passed, this bill would reshape key parts of the US immigration system and offer real hope to thousands stuck in limbo.

TL;DR: What’s New in the Dignity Act of 2025?

Proposal	What It Does
$20,000 Fast-Track Fee	Lets long-waiting green card applicants skip the line
Country Cap Increase	Raises cap from 7% to 15%, helping India and China
Documented Dreamers	Offers permanent residency to those here 10+ years
Agency Overhaul	$3.6B to fix backlogs and improve processing

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the immigration backlog or planning your next move to the US, this bill is worth watching. It hasn’t passed yet, but it’s one of the most detailed and potentially impactful immigration proposals in years.