Rep. Salazar Convenes National Manufacturers as Industry Calls the DIGNITY Act an Economic Imperative

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) convened a high-level roundtable with National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons and leading job creators from across the country, representing the nation's largest manufacturing organization.

They came to Washington with a clear message: fixing America's broken immigration system is an economic imperative and critical to the future of American manufacturing. The discussion builds on the organization's recent endorsement of the DIGNITY Act (H.R. 4393).

As a congressional champion of the legislation, Rep. Salazar hosted the roundtable alongside manufacturing leaders including U.S. Metal Powders President Eric Degenfelder, American Textile Vice President of Legal and Compliance Erin Ickes, Pivot Manufacturing President and CEO Steve Macias, and Pioneer Service Inc. CEO and co-owner Aneesa Muthana.

"Manufacturers keep America building, innovating, and competing and they are telling us clearly that our current immigration system is broken," said Rep. Salazar. "The DIGNITY Act empowers U.S. manufacturing, brings stability to our workforce, and accountability to our system to ensure our industries can grow and create jobs here at home. With the support of the nation's leading manufacturers, we are moving past the rhetoric and delivering a serious, bipartisan solution for American workers and businesses."

"We have more work than people available to do it. We have more than 400,000 open jobs on our shop floors-and if we do not act, that number will grow to nearly two million by 2033," said Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. He went on, "this is a fundamental economic need. This is not about ideology. Manufacturers don't have time for ideology. We have factories to run, investments to make and facilities to expand."

The roundtable comes at a pivotal moment in the national immigration debate, as manufacturers face persistent labor shortages impacting production, supply chains, and long-term economic growth. Participants underscored the urgent need for a stable, lawful workforce and pointed to the DIGNITY Act as a bipartisan framework that restores order and addresses workforce demands.

During the discussion, Rep. Salazar addressed misinformation surrounding the bill and outlined how the DIGNITY Act establishes accountability, enforces the law, and provides a structured, functional path forward for the American economy. 

WHY MANUFACTURERS SUPPORT THE DIGNITY ACT:

The National Association of Manufacturers recently endorsed the DIGNITY Act, pointing to urgent workforce shortages that are constraining production, limiting growth, and threatening the long-term competitiveness of American manufacturing. A stable, legal workforce is critical to closing this gap and sustaining the nation's industrial strength.

Industry data underscores the urgency:

• Manufacturers consistently have more than 400,000 jobs open, reflecting a persistent labor shortage across the sector.
• Manufacturing accounts for roughly 10 percent of U.S. GDP and drives nearly 53 percent of all private-sector research and development, making workforce stability essential to sustaining American innovation.
• Over the next decade, 3.8 million manufacturing jobs will be needed, with 1.9 million projected to go unfilled without additional workforce solutions.

Together, these trends highlight why manufacturers view the DIGNITY Act as a necessary step to stabilize the workforce, restore order to the immigration system, and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of American industry.

Rep. Salazar represents Florida's 27th Congressional District and continues to lead efforts in Congress to advance practical immigration solutions that support American industries, protect workers, and promote economic stability.

A NATIONAL MOVEMENT GAINING MOMENTUM:

Support for the DIGNITY Act continues to accelerate nationwide, with more than 40 Members of Congress and over 90 national organizations backing the effort, reflecting a broad, cross-sector consensus that meaningful immigration reform is both urgent and achievable. 

Building on that momentum, Rep. María Elvira Salazar and bipartisan Members of Congress recently launched the Dignity Coalition, a historic alliance uniting employers, faith leaders, educators, and advocates to advance the only serious, bipartisan solution to fix America's broken immigration system and help turn growing national support into legislative action.

The DIGNITY Act is the only serious legislation currently in Congress to modernize the U.S. immigration system, stabilizing the workforce, addressing labor shortages, and offering practical solutions for people who have long contributed to American communities and our economy.
The growing list of endorsing organizations includes:

A-1 Global Holdings, African American Farmers of California, AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management, American Bakers Association, American Business Immigration Council (ABIC), American Families United, American Global Logistics, American Latino Coalition, American Legion, Americans for Prosperity, American Seniors Housing Association, Anti-Defamation League, Arlington Latino Chamber of Commerce, Asian American Christian Collaborative, Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Associated Equipment Distributors, Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, Bethel Consulting Group LLC, Brick Industry Association, Business Roundtable, Center for American Progress, Christian Family Coalition of Florida, Cleaning Coalition of America, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, Critical Labor Coalition, Democrats for Life of America, EnglishUSA, Essential Workers Immigration Coalition (EWIC), Evangelical Immigration Table, Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP), FWD.us, Global Detroit, Greater Houston Partnership, GROW our STEM Workforce Coalition, Hispanic Construction Council, IEEE-USA (Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers), IIUSA, ISSA (Association for Cleaning and Facility Solutions), Improve the Dream, Jewish Federation of North America, Latin Chamber of Commerce Nevada, Laredo Chamber of Commerce, LeadingAge, LIBRE Initiative, Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), Migrants Foundation Inc, MIRA USA, Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Evangelicals, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Landscape Professionals, National Association of Manufacturers, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), National Council of Chain Restaurants, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), National Hispanic Construction Alliance, National Hispanic Health Foundation, National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, National Immigration Forum, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, National Parents Union, National Retail Federation, National Roofing Contractors Association, Nisei Farmers League, Niskanen Center, Pastors Association of south New Jersey, Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA), Power Design, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, President's Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA), Puerto Rico Builders Association (PRBA), Reshoring Initiative, Repatriate our Patriots, Secure Growth Initiative, SIMBA Chain, Small Business Majority, South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, SPIE - the International Society for Optics and Photonics, State Business Executives, Steel Tank Institute-Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI-SPFA), TESOL International Association, Texas Business Leadership Council, Texas Restaurant Association, Tile Roofing Industry Alliance (TRIA), Third Way, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. for Success Coalition, United States Hispanic Business Council, United States Immigrant Center (USIC), Vanteo, Walroth-Sadurní Law, WERC, Why Not Act, Woodpack Global, World Relief.

Resources:

One-pager on the Dignity Act - click here.

Detailed summary of the Dignity Act - click here. 

Section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act - click here. 

For the media kit - click here.

Full text of the bill - click here.