Page 24 - Builder Brief November 2025 Issue

L E G I S L A T I V E N E W S
NAHB ENDORSES DIGNITY ACT TO MODERNIZE
AMERICA’S IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
NAHB supports comprehensive immigration reform
legislation recently introduced in the House by Reps. Maria
Salazar (R-Fla.) and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) that would
protect the nation’s borders and preserve critical workforces.
“I want to thank the National Association of Home Builders
for their endorsement,” said Rep. Salazar in a press release.
“With home prices out of reach for many Americans due to
labor shortages, this bill aims to secure the border while
creating earned opportunities for long-term immigrants.
It’s about accountability and providing a clear path toward
stability — no amnesty, just responsibility.”
NAHB sent a letter to Rep. Salazar and Rep. Escobar on
Oct. 8 announcing its support for the bill.
“The Dignity Act is a practical and balanced solution to one
of our nation’s most complex challenges — comprehensive
immigration reform,” the letter stated. “The bill’s approach to
addressing this issue pairs robust enforcement measures to
curb illegal immigration with a fair and responsible pathway
to permanent work authorization for certain undocumented
workers.”
With the housing industry facing a severe labor shortage,
the Dignity Act creates a new pathway for permanent work
authorization for undocumented workers that meet clear
and stringent criteria. Workers who had arrived in the United
States prior to 2020 must:
y Comply with federal and state laws;
y Complete a comprehensive criminal background check;
y Pay back taxes;
y Begin paying income taxes; and
y Pay an annual restitution fee of $1,000 into a training fund
that will develop the next generation of skilled American
labor.
Workers will begin a seven-year program that provides
temporary legal status, work authorization, travel authorization
and protection from removal proceedings, if all conditions
are being met. At the completion of the seven-year program,
workers are granted “dignity status,” which provides an
indefinitely renewable seven-year work authorization and
legal status. At no point are workers eligible for federal benefits
or entitlements.
The home building industry risks an exacerbated skills gap
if long-term workers with unique technical expertise are not
given the opportunity to continue providing vital contributions
to increase America’s housing supply. Nearly one-third of
the U.S. construction workforce is comprised of immigrant
workers, and the immigrant workforce plays a critical role in
meeting the nation’s housing needs.
Immigration Reform is Key to Building a Skilled
Workforce
Reforms to the immigration system are an important
component in workforce development, because the
immigrant workforce plays a critical role in meeting the
nation’s housing needs. In fact, immigrants account for 31
percent of all workers in construction trades, according to
data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
And while the need for safe and secure borders is
paramount, NAHB believes that mass deportation is not
the answer because any shock to the labor force would have
an adverse impact on housing costs and supply. Ensuring
a consistent, reliable influx of new workers is important in
an industry that is continuing to grow and is sorely needed
to help ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis. In
recent years, Congress has consistently increased the limit
for H-2B worker visas due to overwhelming demand, but
even the increased number of available visas may satisfy
only half of the total demand for H-2B workers.
Even as America’s youth is encouraged to consider
careers in the building trades, immigration policies that
complement ongoing vocational training efforts and help
fill labor gaps are important to ensure that the nation has
a workforce that can meet its housing construction needs.
The Housing Industry’s Labor Shortage
America will need 2.2 million new skilled construction
workers over the next three years to reduce the nation’s
housing deficit — a shortfall NAHB estimates to total 1.5
million homes.
There are currently 8.3 million payroll construction
workers in the U.S. Of those, 3.4 million work in residential
construction.
Government data show there is a shortage of anywhere
between 200,000 to 400,000 workers in the construction
industry and that lack of skilled labor slows down the pace
of construction, drives up labor costs, and ultimately leads
to higher home prices.
24 NOVEMBER 2025 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION