Durbin On ICE Enforcement In Illinois: It's Terrible, It's Indefensible, It's Embarrassing
During a floor speech, Durbin again highlighted that he was denied entry into the Broadview ICE detention center on Friday; the Senator also raised legitimate oversight questions about ICE’s purpose in Illinois
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor reflecting on his experience attempting to visit the Broadview ICE detention facility on Friday. Durbin, joined by Senator Duckworth (D-IL), were again denied entry into the facility. This follows multiple requests for oversight of the facility’s conditions and the brutal tactics used by federal agents against protestors, journalists, and elected officials engaged in peaceful First Amendment activity outside the facility.
Durbin said, “I don't understand why [we were denied entry]. If they thought these operations were compliant with the law and accomplishing something good for America, they would certainly want the people to see them who are responsible for funding their agency. The opposite’s been true.”
Last month, Durbin and Duckworth visited the Naval Station Great Lakes to understand the extent of the limited support the base would provide to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As part of that visit, they asked to meet with DHS officials at the Naval Station and again asked to visit Broadview.
Durbin continued, “Every sailor in the United States Navy goes through training at Great Lakes, every one of them. And we’re very proud of the good work that [has been] done to train them to serve our nation. [During our visit] we wanted to know what [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or] ICE, was going to do if they came to the Great Lakes Naval Station as they promised. We have a legitimate concern… And we were concerned if ICE is going to go through and check everybody who looks suspicious, the Kavanaugh Test, ‘do they look like they’re Hispanic?’ What impact is that going to have on Great Lakes, on the men and women who work there, on the young graduates of the training course? What impact would that have if someone decided from ICE to start asking for identification? Papers, passports, driver’s license[s] of those sitting in the bleachers [celebrating their family members’ graduation from Great Lakes Naval Station], it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. In fact, it is a very real possibility, because we’re watching what ICE is doing in the city of Chicago—it's terrible, it’s indefensible, [and] it’s embarrassing.”
During his speech Durbin raised serious concerns regarding the training of these ICE agents. He also highlighted the television advertisements for ICE that state if you sign up to join ICE, DHS will give you a $50,000 signing bonus.
“I don’t know who is signing up, I don’t know how many are signing up. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security refuse to disclose that to Congress or the American people. They say it’s justified. It’s justified for the tactics that they’re using, wearing masks with no insignia on their person that shows that they work for any federal agency whatsoever. They justify this by saying it’s so dangerous in the city of Chicago,” Durbin continued.
Over the weekend, 53,000 runners participated in the Chicago Marathon.
“Dangerous in the city of Chiago? I thought about that this weekend… they say in criticism of Chicago that people are fleeing the forces of violence. Well, there was some fleeing going on in Chicago this weekend—53,000 runners came for the Chicago Marathon… We’re told it’s so dangerous in the city of Chicago, that the President has to send National Guard volunteers in from the state of Texas who have been federalized and controlled by the [President]. 53,000 runners and over a half million tourists? [A] dangerous city is not what I see,” Durbin continued.
Durbin said, “Can we do better when it comes to reducing crime? You bet. But isn’t that true for just about every city in America? When it gets down to it, the danger is not in the streets in the city of Chicago, the danger is what’s happening when troops are being sent in to stand on street corners with rifles.”
Durbin then highlighted what he is seeing directly in Chicago. Durbin noted that restaurants in Chicago feel that the ICE agents are making things worse, not better. Restaurants have started putting notices on the windows and doors that ICE agents are not welcome.
“If these men and women representing our government in ICE are proud of what they’re going to do, let’s have full disclosure. Let’s find out what they’ve done, how they’re spending the billions of dollars we’re sending their way, and why that money isn’t being spent on law enforcement now. If you want to help reduce crime and violent crime and murder, work with the police and law enforcement. But no, that’s not what the Administration wants to do. They want their own show. They want their own theater,” said Durbin.
Durbin concluded, “And to think the President claims that using federal military force will improve the situation. The reality is the opposite is true. While the Guard is in Illinois now, it could be in your state next. It could be your family taken from their homes and their beds in the middle of the night in a violent raid… While I will continue to do everything in my power to push back on the President’s military intrusion into our cities, I implore my Republican colleagues to stop and reflect [on] what’s happening. Reflect on the deployment of troops into states which are not asking for help at all and don’t need it. This is an illegal, unconstitutional power grab by the President, determined to consolidate his power and stifle any [dissent]. It does not make America safer.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is 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.
-30-