Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Immigration
Durbin Statement On President Trump's State Of The Union Address
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement on President Donald Trump's State of the Union address: "He brought us to the brink of war with Iran. He continues to sow deep divisions by inciting violence, hate, and mistrust in our democracy. He has put Dreamers on notice for deportation. He continues to threaten health care for millions of people with pre-existing conditions. He diverts money from our service members and their families in o… Continue Reading
01.31.20
Durbin Statement On Expansion Of President Trump's Travel Ban
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced that citizens from Nigeria, Eritrea, Burma, and Kyrgyzstan will not be allowed to apply for visas to immigrate to the United States, and citizens of Sudan and Tanzania will be prohibited from seeking diversity visas. These countries join a list of seven other nations, most of them Muslim-majo… Continue Reading
01.28.20
Durbin, Duckworth, Bicameral Congressional Leaders Call On Ninth Circuit To Uphold Protections For Migrant Children In Flores Amicus Brief
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-12); U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); and U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-10), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19), Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20), and Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), today led 113 of their colleagues in submitting an Amicus Brief… Continue Reading
01.15.20
Durbin, Top Senate Dems Vow Vote To Reverse Trump Decision To Divert Pentagon Funds To Pay For Border Wall
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Vice Chair Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), and Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Udall (D-NM) today released the following statement on President Donald Trump's plan to divert an additional $7.2 billion… Continue Reading
12.20.19
Toomey, Durbin Introduce Bill To Add Ireland To E-3 Non-Immigrant Visa Program
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation to add Ireland to the E-3 non-immigrant visa program. The bill would allow Irish nationals annual access to any unused E-3 visas from the previous fiscal year. In exchange, Ireland intends to provide Americans expanded access to work visas in Ireland. A similar bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI-05) and Richard Neal (D-MA-01) passed the House of Representa… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Durbin Announces Bipartisan Agreement To Help Immigrant Workers Stuck In The Green Card Backlog
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today joined Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on the Senate floor to announce their bipartisan agreement to amend Lee's Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. "Senator Lee and I have reached a bipartisan agreement on what we think is a reasonable approach… these families affected by this backlog are really going through hardship and concerns that no family should face. … Continue Reading
11.13.19
Durbin Votes Against President Trump's Nominee For DHS, Chad Wolf
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today spoke against the nomination of Chad Wolf to be the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Under Secretary for Policy. Reports indicate that President Donald Trump will appoint Mr. Wolf as Acting Secretary of Homeland Security if he is confirmed as Under Secretary. Mr. Wolf was confirmed by a vote of 54-41. "So is Chad Wolf the r… Continue Reading
11.12.19
On Day Of Supreme Court Oral Arguments, Durbin Calls On Senate To Pass Dream & Promise Act
WASHINGTON-Following today's oral argument in the Supreme Court on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today came to the Senate floor to make a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately pass the bipartisan House-passed American Dream and Promise Act, which will establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred … Continue Reading
11.12.19
Durbin Meets With DACA Students From Loyola Chicago
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, today met with Cesar Montelongo and Fernanda Herrera Vera, who have temporary protection from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Cesar and Fernanda are students enrolled in the MD-PhD program at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and the Loyola University School of Law, respectively. Cesar was Durbin's guest at last year's State of the Union address. … Continue Reading
11.12.19
Durbin Statement On DACA Supreme Court Oral Arguments
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after attending the oral arguments in the Supreme Court on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In April 2010, Durbin and then-Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) were the first members of Congress to call for the establishment of the DACA program. "Today, the Court is considering an issue of fundamental human rights - the fate of Dreamers, hundreds of thousands of young immigrant… Continue Reading
11.06.19
Durbin To Leader McConnell: Protect Dreamers & Call A Vote On The Dream And Promise Act
WASHINGTON-Ahead of next week's oral argument in the Supreme Court on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today came to the Senate floor to once again call on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to call a vote on the bipartisan House-passed American Dream and Promise Act, which will establish a path to citizenship for Dreamers and immig… Continue Reading
11.06.19
Durbin Once Again Calls On Congress To Pass Legislation To Increase Number Of Green Cards Available, Eliminating The Backlog
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today once again made a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately pass his Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, which would eliminate the family and employment green card backlog by increasing the number of green cards. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) objected. Along with eliminating the family and e… Continue Reading
10.30.19
Durbin Calls On Congress To Pass Legislation To Increase Number Of Green Cards Available, Eliminating The Backlog
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today made a unanimous consent (UC) request to immediately pass his Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act, which would eliminate the family and employment green card backlog by increasing the number of green cards. Senator John Thune (R-SD) objected on behalf of Senator Mike Lee (R-UT). Along with eli… Continue Reading
10.30.19
Durbin, Judiciary Dems Call On Cornyn To Hold Hearing On Green-Card Backlog Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kamala Harris (D-CA) today called on Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, to hold a hearing on legislation to addres… Continue Reading
10.22.19
Durbin Slams Trump Administration's Efforts To Turn Local Law Enforcement Into Immigration Police
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today slammed the Trump Administration for its efforts to turn local law enforcement agencies into a deportation force. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on so-called sanctuary cities, Durbin spoke about the need for bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation and called out President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda and his threat earlier thi… Continue Reading
10.17.19
Durbin Stands With DACA Supreme Court Plaintiffs To Call On Congress To Protect Dreamers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today joined Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-NM-03), plaintiffs in the upcoming DACA case before the U.S. Supreme Court, and immigration advocates to call on Congress to pass legislation that would offer permanent protection from deportation for Dreamers. "On September 5, 2017, President Tr… Continue Reading
10.16.19
Durbin, Leahy Introduce New Legislation To Increase Number Of Green Cards Available, Eliminating The Backlog
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today introduced new legislation that would eliminate the family and employment green card backlog by increasing the number of green cards. Close to four million future Americans are on the State Department's immigrant visa waiting list, in addition to hundreds of thousands of immigrants… Continue Reading
10.15.19
In Consultation After Legally-Required Deadline, Durbin Presses Trump Administration On Dismal Refugee Resettlement Goal
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, today met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli to press the Trump Administration on its dismal refugee resettlement goal of merely 18,000 to the U.S. in the coming year. Prior to any presidential determination on the number of refugees to be admitted in the upcoming fiscal year, the law r… Continue Reading
10.04.19
Durbin Statement On Poland's Possible Entry Into Visa Waiver Program
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today on the Department of State's announcement regarding Poland's entry into the Visa Waiver Program: For years I have battled in Congress for visa waivers for our Polish visitors. I know so many Polish Americans who simply want their family and friends from Poland to have easier access to visit America. Now I hope we are finally moving forward. I look forward to receiving more information about the State Department… Continue Reading
10.04.19
Congressional Leaders File Bipartisan Amicus Brief In Support Of DACA In The Supreme Court
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19) today led 49 Senators and former Senators and 123 U.S. Representatives and former Representatives in filing a bipartisan amicus brief in the Supreme Court in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on DACA on November 12, 2019. President Trump terminated the DACA program on September 5, 2017, throwing the lives of nearly 800,000 Dreamers… Continue Reading