WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Capitol Hill today, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) stood with AFU Action, ABIC Action, the National Roofing Contractors Association, and the National Association of Evangelicals to unveil new data that shows the scale of the crisis that U.S. citizens face as a result of our broken immigration system and to call for Congressional action on the Dignity Act. Watch a video of the press conference here.
The 2025 AFU National Survey of Mixed-Status Couples is the first national research of its kind examining how current immigration laws harm U.S. citizens married to immigrants without a viable pathway to legal status. The survey reveals that:
- U.S. citizens in mixed-status marriages are significantly worse off than one year ago, with many already separated from their spouses.
- These marriages reflect long-term, deeply committed family relationships, not short-term or “marriages of convenience.”
- Families are experiencing severe emotional, financial, and medical hardship right now, harms that could be addressed through congressional action.
Rep. María Elvira Salazar: “I am proud to stand with American Families United on Capitol Hill today to defend U.S. citizens whose families are being torn apart by the current immigration system. Our laws must recognize that U.S. citizens and their families belong together. The Dignity Act would fix this problem, by incorporating the American Families United Act, to protect US. Citizens and their families from separation.” Spanish: Hoy estuve en el Capitolio junto a American Families United defendiendo a ciudadanos estadounidenses cuyas familias están siendo separadas por un sistema migratorio fallido. Nuestras leyes deben partir de una verdad fundamental: los ciudadanos de Estados Unidos y sus familias deben permanecer juntos. La Ley de Dignidad responde a esa realidad al incorporar la Ley de Familias Unidas de América y proteger a los ciudadanos estadounidenses de separaciones injustas e innecesarias.
Amanda Ribeiro, a U.S. citizen and public health nurse, whose husband was detained by ICE and deported to Brazil in 2025, shared her story with the public. “When my husband was deported, I lost everything: our business, our income, our home, and most importantly, our family together,” said Ribeiro. “I can’t make sense of why my country, America, would want to separate my family. Who wins with my broken family living a continent apart?”
“Despite their numbers, mixed-status couples remain one of the most invisible and least understood groups in the immigration debate,” said Ashley DeAzevedo, Executive Director of AFU Action. “As a result, American citizens and their children are left feeling isolated and overlooked, while policymakers lack the information they need to understand the real human consequences of our laws. I hope this report helps elected leaders at all levels of government understand the real cost of inaction.”
Rebecca Shi, CEO of American Business Immigration Coalition Action (ABIC Action): “Today, Congress stands at a pivotal crossroads, with the opportunity to break the longstanding cycle of inaction on immigration. Every day, I hear from business leaders—employers from every sector and region, including agriculture, construction, hospitality, and healthcare—who are united in their call for work permits for long-term, law-abiding, tax-paying undocumented immigrant workers. Our businesses and communities depend on practical solutions that allow these workers and their families to continue driving our economy forward. The bipartisan Dignity Act offers a clear and workable path that supports employers, strengthens our workforce, and reflects the values of our nation. We thank Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar for leading this bipartisan solution, and we urge Congress and the Trump administration to move forward to secure our workforce and our economy. Americans are demanding leadership and results.”
Duane Musser, Vice President of Government Relations, National Roofing Contractors Association: “It is imperative now, given what is happening within our industry and many others, that Congress redouble its efforts to move forward and pass legislation on this issue. We want to reiterate our support for the Dignity Act. This legislation really balances our needs for further strengthened border security as well as dealing with the workforce issues.
Rylee Lacy, Advocacy and Policy Manager, National Association of Evangelicals: “We bring together forty evangelical denominations and hundreds of other churches, universities, and nonprofits, many of which are only growing—and significantly growing—because of vibrant immigrant communities. We know that right now many of them are hurting. They’re living in fear. They’re afraid to gather together to worship because of the impact of aggressive enforcement and deportation operations. While the majority of evangelical Christians do support the deportation of violent criminals, very few say the same about immigrants who have U.S. citizen children or spouses.”
About AFU Action: We are a bipartisan initiative aimed at preserving the unity of mixed-status families by empowering immigration judges and officials to consider the profound impact of separation on U.S. citizens when making decisions about their undocumented spouses or children. By addressing stringent immigration barriers, this legislation offers a compassionate solution for over a million undocumented individuals married to U.S. citizens, many of whom have established deep roots in the country over decades.
About ABIC Action: We were created to mobilize the power of American businesses and the general public to promote and advocate for sensible immigration solutions. ABIC Action will develop and advocate for legislation, regulations, and government programs that promote common-sense state and federal immigration reform to benefit the people and economy of our country. ABIC Action operates under federal income tax under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).