Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Immigration
Durbin Calls For Congressional Hearings On Trump Immigration And Refugee Bans
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, is calling for hearings on President Donald Trump's executive orders cracking down on immigrant communities and banning all refugees, immigrants, and visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. "These executive orders, which have dramatic implications for our immigration system, are inconsistent with America's heritage as a nation of immigrants and a safe haven for t… Continue Reading
02.09.17
Durbin, Duckworth Join Call For Review Of Cost And Impact Of Trump’s Harmful Travel Ban, Mass Deporation Scheme, And Border Wall
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today joined a group of senators calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the actions and costs associated with President Donald Trump's recent executive orders to establish a mass deportation force, construct a wall on the Southern border, and ban refugees and immigrants from certain Muslim-majority nations."Each of these executive orders will likely require significant new action on the part of the … Continue Reading
02.09.17
Durbin Statement On Unanimous Ruling Freezing Trump Travel Ban
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court decision suspending the Trump Administration's travel ban on refugees and targeting travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries: This unanimous decision by the Ninth Circuit continues to block the Executive Order of President Trump restricting the travel of immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The Court explicitly remin… Continue Reading
01.31.17
Durbin: Targeting Refugees And Muslims Based On Fear, Not Facts
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) again condemned President Donald Trump's executive order targeting refugees fleeing terrorism and war and Muslims from seven countries. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called on Republicans to overturn the order, which is causing mass chaos and tearing families apart at airports around the United States and the world over. "This decision to indefinitely suspend the admission of Syrian refugees into the United States is not a decision base… Continue Reading
01.27.17
Durbin: History Will Judge Where America’s Leaders Stood Today
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Democratic Whip and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, released the following statement: "History will judge where America's leaders stood today," said Durbin. "Faced with the humanitarian crisis of our time, the United States cannot turn its back on children fleeing persecution, genocide, and terror. During the Holocaust we failed to fulfill to our duty to humanity. We cannot allow mindless fear to lead us into … Continue Reading
01.25.17
Durbin: Trump Immigration Executive Orders Make Nation Less Safe
SHEPERDSTOWN, WV-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Democratic Whip and Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump signed executive orders cracking down on immigrant communities, that, among other things, dramatically increase the number of immigration agents and strip federal funding from communities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. "Creating a mass deportation force and de… Continue Reading
01.24.17
Durbin Named Top Democrat On Senate Immigration Subcommittee
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he was appointed Ranking Member of the Immigration Subcommittee: "It was 20 years ago that I began my service in the Senate, on the Judiciary Committee, and on the Immigration Subcommittee. Though our bipartisan efforts to fix our broken immigration system have been blocked time and again, we must continue working to ensure that our immigration laws are wo… Continue Reading
01.23.17
Durbin Hears from Hospital Leaders on Local Impact of Republican Plan to Repeal Affordable Care Act
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with hospital CEOs-including four from federally-designated Critical Access Hospitals - to discuss the local impact of congressional Republicans' plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This month, Republican leaders took the first step in repealing the law by approving a budget that allows for major provisions of the ACA to be eliminated by simple majority vote. On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order giving federal age… Continue Reading
01.12.17
Graham, Durbin Reintroduce BRIDGE Act to Protect Undocumented Youth from Deportation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to protect undocumented young people brought to the United States as children should the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program be discontinued under the next Administration. The Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy (BRIDGE) Act, which was first introduced in the Senate late last year, would provide temporary relief from deportation and work author… Continue Reading
01.10.17
Durbin Grills Sessions On Immigration, Criminal Justice
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today raised concerns regarding the civil rights record of Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who is nominated to serve as U.S. Attorney General, during the first day of his confirmation hearings. During his remarks, Senator Durbin recognized two guests who personify the most pressing issues facing our country's top law enforcement officer: former DREAMer and U.S. veteran Oscar Vazquez and Chicagoan Alton Mills, w… Continue Reading
06.13.14
Durbin, Gutierrez, Foster, Johnson Discuss Federal Deportation Policy With Community Leaders
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL-04), U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson today met with Chicago community leaders and immigration advocates to discuss federal policy regarding deportations. At President Obama's direction, Johnson is currently leading the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a thorough review of those policies which is expected to conclude in August. Johnson is… Continue Reading
04.01.14
Durbin to Tech Giants: Uphold Your Commitment to Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Washington, D.C. -Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today wrote to nine of the nation's top tech firms, asking them to renew their commitment to passing comprehensive immigration reform and to reject efforts to pass stand-alone legislation increasing the H-1B visa cap. Today's letter comes on the opening day for filing H-1B visa petitions. "I write to ask you to renew your commitment to passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation and to pledge that you will not support st… Continue Reading
01.28.14
Durbin Statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today following President Obama's State of the Union address: "Tonight the President gave an optimistic speech about opportunity for American families, an economy on the rise and leveled a call to action to ensure this is a year of progress for the middle class." "From programs to grow the economy and create jobs like the launching of new manufacturing institutes and infrastructure investment… Continue Reading
01.07.14
Durbin Holds Hearing on Syrian Refugee Crisis
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, held a hearing today on the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. "The ongoing civil war in Syria has created the world's worst humanitarian and refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide and perhaps since World War II," Durbin said. "Of the nearly 2.3 million Syrian refugees that have fled the bloody civil war, nearly half are children. W… Continue Reading
09.18.13
Durbin meets with University of Illinois - Chicago Student Trustees
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with the student representatives to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees outside the Capitol building. During the meeting, the group discussed issues in higher education including rising college costs and federal student aid. A photo of today's meeting is available here. "Investing in our students and preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow's global economy must be one of our highest priorities," Durbin said. "I was pleased … Continue Reading
08.29.13
Durbin, Schneider Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
[VERNON HILLS, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) today visited College of Lake County to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. A complete list of attendees is attached. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue wh… Continue Reading
08.12.13
Durbin Meets with DuPage County Leaders Regarding Immigration Reform
[WHEATON, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today visited Wheaton College to hold a roundtable discussion with a cross section of DuPage County leaders, briefing them on his effort to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hearing from them regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. A list of participants in the forum is attached. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decad… Continue Reading
08.08.13
Durbin, Oberhelman Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
[PEORIA, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman in Peoria today to discuss the need to reform the country's immigration system. Durbin is a member of the Senate Gang of Eight, which introduced a comprehensive immigration reform bill after months of negotiations earlier this year and worked successfully to pass the bill on a bipartisan basis in June. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle … Continue Reading
08.07.13
Durbin, Foster Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
[JOLIET, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today visited St. Patrick's Catholic Church to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decades," Durbin … Continue Reading
08.06.13
Durbin, Foster Discuss Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
[AURORA, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today visited Ginger Creek Community Church to provide a cross section of community leaders with a briefing on their efforts to enact comprehensive immigration reform and hear from participants regarding their perspective on why reform is needed. "Months ago, I sat down with seven of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to tackle a difficult issue which has defied Congress for decades," Durbin … Continue Reading