04.18.16

Durbin: Supreme Court Must Act to Keep Families Together, Affirm President's Immigration Actions

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the floor of the Senate today after attending oral arguments at the Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Texas, a legal challenge to the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program and the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

   

“This lawsuit I believe has no legal merit.  It is driven by political hostility toward President Obama and his immigration policy.  The Supreme Court repeatedly has held the federal government has broad authority to decide questions of immigration,” said Durbin. “I’m confident the Supreme Court will uphold the President’s immigration actions and then I hope that Republicans in Congress will finally decide to return to the table and work on a bipartisan basis for comprehensive immigration reform.” 

   

Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

   

Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

   

Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available for TV Stations using FTP in high definition here and in standard definition here.

   

Six years ago this week, in April 2010, Durbin was the first member of Congress to call for the establishment of DACA. Durbin introduced the original DREAM Act 15 years ago, and has shared the stories of more than 75 Dreamers on the Senate floor.