Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Immigration
Durbin, Harkin, Dreamers, and Immigration Reform Supporters to Hold Immigration Forum in Ames, Iowa Next Friday
Washington, D.C. - US Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that they would be holding an immigration forum in Ames, Iowa next Friday, August 2, 2013. The event will feature DREAMers from across Iowa, farmers, students and small businesses that support the Senate's approach to immigration reform. Full details of the forum will be released next week. Senator Durbin is the author of the DREAM Act and one of the members of the so-called "Gang of Eight" which wrote th… Continue Reading
06.27.13
Durbin Statement on the Passage of Immigration Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), one of the eight authors of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, made the following statement before the Senate voted to approve the measure, 68-32: "First I want to thank the seven Senators who joined with me to reach this moment in history. We came together to see if we could create a bill and in the end, we did much more. We created a friendship and a life experience we will never forget… Continue Reading
06.04.13
Durbin Meets with Polish Foreign Minister to Discuss Visa Waiver Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Polish Foreign Minister Rados?aw Sikorski and members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss continued U.S. - Polish economic and military ties, as well as the possible inclusion of Poland in the Visa Waiver Program. "After working for years to allow Poland to qualify for the Visa Waiver Entry Program, I made sure this provision was part of the comprehensive immigration reform bill scheduled to come before the Se… Continue Reading
05.21.13
Durbin Statement on Committee Approval of Bipartisan Immigration Bill
[WASHINGTON, DC] Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, sending the bipartisan measure the to the full Senate for consideration. Durbin was one of the bipartisan members of the so-called Gang of Eight that authored the measure. "Over the years, we have made serious efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform, but we have … Continue Reading
05.19.13
Durbin, Gutierrez Optimistic on Prospects for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today provided an update on the Senate's negotiations over the comprehensive immigration reform bill he helped draft and said he is optimistic about the proposal's chances for passage. Durbin was a member of the bipartisan Gang of Eight that introduced the bill in April after several months of negotiations and sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is currently considering the legislation. "When I return to Washington tomorrow, the Senate J… Continue Reading
01.28.13
Durbin, Bipartisan Group of Senators Unveil Immigration Reform Principles
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) unveiled a series of immigration reform principles today after months of negotiations with a bipartisan group of Senators. Durbin, joined by Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ), said that our immigration system is broken and proposed a comprehensive set of principles which include giving immigrants a path to … Continue Reading
08.15.12
New Immigration Policy for Dreamers Represents Economic and Humanitarian Victory, Durbin Says
[CHICAGO] - By allowing young undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children a chance to earn the ability to live and work in the United States, President Barack Obama has boosted the country's economic outlook, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin said the talented youth he has long fought to help through the DREAM Act will finally have the opportunity to take their place as valuable, productive members of American society. "This is a historic humanitarian moment a… Continue Reading
06.25.12
Durbin Statement on the Supreme Court Decision Regarding the Arizona Immigration Law
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court struck down three of the four provisions of the Arizona immigration law: "I am pleased that the Supreme Court agreed with the Obama Administration that federal immigration law prevents states from enacting their own immigration enforcement scheme. "While three of the Arizona law's provisions were struck down, one of its most troubling provisions - requiring poli… Continue Reading
06.15.12
Durbin Statement on DREAM Act and Administrative Action to Help Young Immigrants
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today after the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that the Obama Administration would halt the deportations of immigrant students who could earn citizenship under Durbin's DREAM Act. "The Obama Administration's decision to extend temporary legal status to DREAM Act students is an historic humanitarian moment. This action will give these young immigrants their chance to come out of the sha… Continue Reading
03.08.12
Durbin, Grassley Raise Concerns About "Specialized Knowledge" Standard in Visa Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are raising concerns about potential changes being made to the L visa program that would further encourage companies to use the L-1B visa program to import foreign workers and evade restrictions of the H-1B visa program-which puts American workers at a disadvantage. The L-1B visa program allows companies to transfer employees with "specialized knowledge" from the foreign facilities to their U.S. offices for up to… Continue Reading
11.17.11
Durbin Statement on Next Step in the Implementation of New U.S. Deportation Policy
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin released the following statement today after the Department of Homeland Security announced the next steps in the implementation of the Obama Administration's new deportation policy: "I strongly support the Obama Administration's new deportation policy and I commend the Department of Homeland Security for the steps it is taking today to implement this policy. But more needs to be done, and it needs to be done quickly. Many young people who would … Continue Reading
09.24.11
Durbin Applauds Faith Leaders for Holding DREAM Sabbath
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) commended religious leaders from a broad variety of faith traditions today for celebrating the DREAM Sabbath - an initiative enlisting churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples around the country to dedicate time during their regular weekly worship service to a conversation about the DREAM Act. The nationwide event began this weekend, and will continue into the fall. The DREAM Sabbath was created to build on the broad grassroots support for th… Continue Reading
08.18.11
Durbin Lauds Obama Administration Announcement on Dream Act Deportation Cases
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, in a letter to Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and 21 other Senators, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that the Administration has established a new process for handling the deportation cases of DREAM Act students and other sympathetic individuals. If fully implemented, the new process should stop virtually all DREAM Act deportations. "The Obama Administration has made the right decision in changing the way they hand… Continue Reading
07.12.11
Durbin, Bennet, Religious Leaders Announce DREAM Act Sabbath
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and more than a dozen religious leaders representing a broad variety of faith traditions, today announced a DREAM Act Sabbath - an initiative enlisting churches, synagogues, and mosques around the country to dedicate time during their regular weekly worship service to a conversation about the DREAM Act. The nationwide event will talk place this fall on September 23rd, September 24th, and Septe… Continue Reading
06.28.11
Opening Remarks at the First-ever Senate Hearing on the DREAM Act
Thousands of immigrant students in the United States were brought to the United States as children. It was not their decision to come to this country, but they grew up here pledging allegiance to our flag and singing our national anthem. They are American in their hearts. The DREAM Act would give these young people a chance to earn legal status if they have good moral character and go to college or serve in the military. The DREAM Act would make America a stronger country by giving the… Continue Reading
06.24.11
Durbin Announces First-Ever Senate Hearing on the Dream Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that he will chair the first-ever Senate hearing on the DREAM Act next Tuesday, June 28th, at 10:00 am ET. The hearing will be in room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. "I've been working on the DREAM Act for over ten years," Durbin said. "In that time, it's been reported out of committee by a large bipartisan margin, passed the House of Representatives, and received a bipartisan majority vote in th… Continue Reading
05.11.11
Durbin, Reid, Menendez, 30 Others Introduce the DREAM Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and 30 other Senators introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act today - a narrowly tailored bill to give undocumented students a chance to earn legal status if they came here as children, are long-term U.S. residents, have good moral character, and complete two years of college or military service in good standing.… Continue Reading
04.13.11
Durbin, Reid, 20 Senate Democrats Write Obama on Current Situation of DREAM Act Students
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and a group of 20 Democratic senators today sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to establish a rigorous, consistent and orderly process for handling requests for stays of deportation from young people who would qualify for the DREAM Act if it were to become law. The Obama administration, like the Bush administration before it, has granted "deferred action" to som… Continue Reading
12.18.10
Durbin Statement on the DREAM Act
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the DREAM Act - a narrowly-tailored bill that would allow a select group of immigrant students with great potential to contribute more fully to America - failed to overcome a Republican filibuster this morning. "Today we had a chance to make a dream come true for tens of thousands of young people across America - a dream that they would have a chance to become part of the future of… Continue Reading
12.09.10
Statement from the Majority Leader and Assistant Majority Leader on the DREAM Act
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today on the DREAM Act: "Yesterday the House passed a strong, bipartisan version of the DREAM Act - a narrowly-tailored bill that would allow a select group of immigrant students with great potential to contribute more fully to America. "In light of that vote, the Senate will move to the House-passed version of the bill later this month. In … Continue Reading