Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Immigration
Durbin: Conference Committee Must Focus On Smart & Effective Border Security
WASHINGTON - At the first public meeting of the Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Appropriations Conference Committee, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Democratic and Republican conference committee members to focus on smart and effective border security measures as opposed to threats of government shutdowns or emergency declarations from President Trump in order to reach an agreement before the Continuing Resolution (CR) ends on February 15. "The President may be … Continue Reading
January 24, 2019
Durbin Statement On Senate Votes To End President Trump's Shutdown
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after voting for a two week Continuing Resolution (CR) to reopen the government while Congress debates smart and effective border security. The vote was defeated 52-44, with all Senate Democrats voting to reopen the government. Durbin voted against the White House's proposed legislation to end President Trump's government shutdown in exchange for $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall and … Continue Reading
January 22, 2019
Durbin On White House Legislation To End Trump Shutdown: Even Worse Than Advertised
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after Senate Republicans published text of the White House's proposed legislation to end President Trump's government shutdown in exchange for $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall, temporary protection for some DACA and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, and significant new restrictions in asylum law: "The President's proposal last Saturday was reduced to writing and shared … Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Durbin Statement On HHS OIG Report On Family Separation Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report on the Trump Administration's family separation policy. The report comes after Durbin, and several of his colleagues, sent a letter to the HHS OIG last year requesting they conduct a comprehensive review of the operations of the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program, including the … Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Durbin:Senator McConnell is Waiting For A Permission Slip From President Trump To Reopen The Government
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans to stop holding the government hostage over the President's demands for a medieval border wall. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to have a vote on the House-passed appropriations bills - bills that passed the Republican-led Senate on the floor or in committee with strong bipartisan support last year. Last … Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Durbin Meets with Acting Defense Secretary On President Trump's Demand For A Southern Border Wall
WASHINGTON - In light of President Donald Trump's government shutdown and the potential for him to declare a national emergency in order to fund his southern border wall, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to warn him on how serious such a move would be, how legally dubious it would be, and to caution him that such an event will impact the Department of … Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Address To The Nation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office on his demand for billions of dollars for a wall at the southern border: Tonight, what we heard from the Oval Office was a desperate attempt by the President to gain support for his medieval border wall. It won't work. Democrats support strong border security. And we can have a debate about effective border security, but … Continue Reading
January 02, 2019
Durbin Statement On White House Briefing On Border Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after attending the White House briefing on border security with President Donald Trump and Democratic and Republican congressional leaders: Let me be clear: Democrats support strong, effective border security. The type of border security that Democrats have long-supported - including increased funding for technology - is what experts have said is needed and actually works. What doesn't work is … Continue Reading
December 19, 2018
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the Senate's passage of the Continuing Resolution, which will fund the seven Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bills not yet enacted through February 8, 2019: It is unfortunate that President Trump's demand for a border wall from sea to shining sea has held up seven appropriations bills that have been debated and passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis. I'm glad this didn't end in an … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Durbin: A Border Wall Will Not Reduce Cartel Violence Or Stop Fentanyl From Flooding Into Our Country
WASHINGTON-During a Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Mexican cartels, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged the Trump Administration to reduce brutal cartel violence and drug, gun, and human smuggling by deploying more technology and personnel at ports of entry, working to address the drug epidemic at home, stopping the weapons and cash that flow south to cartels, and collaborating more effectively with regional nations to strengthen their economies and decrease the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Durbin: Democrats Want Border Security, But Will Not Support Administration's Hardline Anti-Immigrant Agenda
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today rebuked President Donald Trump's claims that Democrats "do not want border security." During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan, Durbin reminded Commissioner McAleenan that earlier this year, a bipartisan majority of the Senate supported Durbin's bipartisan immigration and border security agreement but it failed to reach the 60 votes it needed because of … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Durbin, Reed, Leahy, Schatz Press Secretary Mattis On Plans To Build Barriers Along Arizona Border
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee; Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Armed Services Committee: Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee; and Brian Schatz (D-HI), Ranking Member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee today pressed Secretary of Defense James Mattis about planned activities on the Barry M. Goldwater Range near Yuma, Arizona, including … Continue Reading
October 03, 2018
Durbin: Secretary Nielsen Must Be Held Accountable For Family Separation Crisis & Resign
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, today in a speech on the Senate floor called on U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to resign for her failed leadership in the Trump Administration's disastrous family separation policy. Nearly 2,700 children were forcibly separated from their parents at our border, with at least 136 kids still not reunited today. "I believe Secretary Nielsen … Continue Reading
October 02, 2018
Durbin Statement On DOJ Investigation Into Trump Administration's Family Separation Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General announced that it will initiate a review of the Justice Department's implementation of the Trump Administration's zero-tolerance policy. Durbin and 30 of his Senate colleagues called for this investigation in a letter to DOJ Inspector General Horowitz in July. … Continue Reading
October 02, 2018
Durbin Statement On DHS IG Investigation Into Trump Administration's Family Separation Policy
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Inspector General released a report on the Trump Administration's zero-tolerance policy. The report, which Durbin and 23 of his Senate colleagues requested in March, found that "DHS was not fully prepared to implement the Administration's Zero Tolerance Policy or to deal with … Continue Reading
September 26, 2018
Durbin, Feinstein, Murray, Senators To HHS And DHS Secretaries: Family Detention Is Morally Wrong, Harmful To Children And Parents, Inconsistent With Fundamental Values
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee; Senator Dianne Feinstein, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, led 29 Senators today in a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen imploring … Continue Reading
September 18, 2018
Durbin, Feinstein Statement on Trump Administration Decision To Slash Refugee Resettlement Goal For Second Year In A Row
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after the Trump administration announced that it will aim to admit 30,000 refugees to the U.S. in the coming year, down from the current level of 45,000: The Trump administration has once again dropped America's moral standing to a new low by setting the refugee … Continue Reading
September 02, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth, Senators Call On Trump Administration To Meet Current Refugee Resettlement Cap And Significantly Increase Numbers Of Refugees Allowed Into U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 21 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in a letter to President Trump demanding that the Administration honor the United States' legacy as a nation of immigrants and beacon of hope for families around the globe fleeing violence and persecution by increasing the cap on the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. and strengthening resources across the federal … Continue Reading
August 22, 2018
Durbin, Dem Senators To DHS Secretary Nielsen: Under Your Leadership, Immigration Crisis Grows Worse By The Day
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Senate's Immigration Subcommittee, led 19 Senators today in sending a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen imploring her to reverse course on several anti-immigrant policies implemented by her agency, including by immediately reunifying all children separated at the border by the Trump Administration's zero-tolerance policy. The Senators also called on Secretary Nielsen to restore DACA, support … Continue Reading
July 31, 2018
Durbin Statement On Completion Of Internal Investigation Of Heartland Alliance Into Allegations Of Physical & Emotional Abuse At Chicago Facility
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after Heartland Alliance, an Illinois-based social services agency, announced that their internal investigation found no evidence to support reported allegations of physical and emotional abuse made by children who were recently cared for at Casa Guadalupe, a Chicago shelter run by Heartland: I'm pleased that Heartland Alliance took my call for a timely internal investigation seriously. The … Continue Reading