The growing discord within the GOP over immigration has led to two political action committees (PACs) amassing millions of dollars to influence Republican primaries nationwide.
This division has turned the debate over Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar’s (R-Fla.) Dignity Act into a battleground between hardliners and moderates, spotlighting its 20 Republican co-sponsors in the House.
The Homeland PAC, supported by Republicans favoring stricter immigration policies, was launched recently to challenge some of these co-sponsors in primaries. In contrast, the American Business Immigration Coalition Action has secured $1.2 million to defend them via its Building America’s Economy PAC, with plans to raise a total of $5 million, as shared with POLITICO.
The Dignity Act, which has bipartisan backing, has been heavily criticized by conservative MAGA influencers and supporters of President Donald Trump, who see it as unviable. Although it does not provide citizenship pathways, the bill would allow millions of unauthorized immigrants to obtain work permits and legally stay in the U.S.
Republicans such as Reps. Gabe Evans (Colo.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) have endorsed the bill. However, its critics label it as “amnesty,” suggesting that this debate is crucial for the Republican Party’s future direction.
“Donald Trump is not going to be around forever,” stated Ryan Girdusky, the GOP strategist behind Homeland PAC. “The goal is to focus and to put our efforts into the future, and make sure Republicans know that the demand for stronger borders and for reforms to legal immigration and illegal immigration means something. We are not going to roll over and go back to business as usual.”
This conflict unfolds as the White House adjusts its immigration messaging amid declining public approval. The administration has moved away from the term “mass deportations” and is concentrating on deporting the “worst of the worst.”
“Extreme-right internet influencers have escalated their attacks, and we want to ensure the leadership on commonsense immigration reform are protected,” said Rebbeca Shi, CEO of ABIC Action, whose PAC aims to protect Republican co-sponsors of the Dignity Act.
Salazar defends the bill, claiming it grants workers “dignity.” Meanwhile, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon criticized it as the “screw American workers” bill. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly argued that the bill “is not going to go over well with the GOP base, with the America Firsters.” Additionally, conservative lawmakers like Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) criticized it as a betrayal to Trump’s base.
Girdusky, whose Homeland PAC aims to end “the career of every Republican who supports amnesty and sells out the American people on immigration,” remains tight-lipped about which lawmakers he targets or how much money will be spent. As some co-sponsors of the Dignity Act are retiring or hold competitive seats, Girdusky plans to focus on those in secure red districts facing primary challenges.
“If any of these members have a change of heart and say, ‘Wow, this is actually a terrible bill for American workers and for the border and enriches human traffickers, I’m going to drop my support of it,’ I’m not going to challenge them in a primary,” he stated.
Numerous hardline immigration groups have sought to influence the Trump administration to fulfill its promise of the largest deportation initiative in history. However, this approach risks alienating voters, many of whom disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration.
The latest POLITICO Poll reveals that Americans’ opinions of Trump’s deportation campaign remain largely negative, with half of Americans and a quarter of Trump’s 2024 supporters considering it overly aggressive.
Shi mentioned that her group will protect the Dignity Act’s co-sponsors — both Republicans and Democrats — in primaries, alongside Republicans who recently voted to restore temporary protected status for Haitians. She believes that endorsing a bipartisan immigration reform bill like the Dignity Act would be a strategic move for the White House before the midterms.
“The White House is very sensitive to the polling on this, and the numbers haven’t changed since Minneapolis,” Shi noted. “That’s why the next logical step to win in November is to actually have solutions.”
