01.19.18

Durbin To McConnell: There Is A Bipartisan Agreement On Immigration, Bring It To The Floor Now

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) again came to the Senate floor today to call on Republican leaders in Congress to pass the bipartisan agreement on immigration that was reached by himself and Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). 

It has been more than four months since the Trump Administration terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called for Congress to come up with a legislative solution.  Beginning on March 5, 2018, 1,000 young people will lose their DACA protection each day, and the Trump Administration itself has acknowledged that it will take six months to implement legislation. 

“So what has the Republican majority in the House and Senate done in the four and a half months since we received that challenge from President Trump?  Nothing.  Nothing.  And then I hear Senator McConnell say we haven’t even seen a written proposal from the Democrats on this.  The Senator knows better.  A group of us, six of us, three Democrats and three Republicans accepted President Trump’s challenge and produced a bipartisan solution.  We have described it to everyone, Democrat, Republican alike.  It was a good-faith effort.  Real compromise.  Pain on both sides.  It’s ready.  It’s ready to be brought to the floor of the United States Senate.  It’s ready to be passed into law.  For Senator McConnell to say he doesn’t know anything about it, I’m sorry, but we have been very open about what’s included in there.  He knows it’s a product of long and hard bipartisan work,” said Durbin. 

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor are available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

In July, Durbin and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the bipartisan Dream Act, which would allow immigrant students who grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. These young people, known as Dreamers, have lived in America since they were children, built their lives here, and are American in every way except for their immigration status.

Dreamer stories that Durbin has shared on the Senate floor are available here.

-30-