Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Justice and Civil Rights
Durbin: President Trump’s First Days Show America Needs An Independent Supreme Court
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor about President Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court. After dozens of legal immigrants were detained at airports over the weekend solely because of their country of origin and Monday's unprecedented firing of an Attorney General for refusing to defend President Trump's unlawful executive order in court, President Trump moved up his Supreme Court announcement to try to … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
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 … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Durbin Opposes Sessions For Attorney General
WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after announcing he would vote against Senator Jeff Sessions' nomination to be U.S. Attorney General. "On issue after issue, Senator Sessions has said that, as Attorney General, he would simply 'enforce the law.' But, as were reminded last night, it is also the duty of our nation's chief law enforcement officer to stand up to the President when his actions do not … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats: Is DOJ Doing Its Job To Review Trump Executive Orders?
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee demanding answers about the U.S. Department of Justice's role in reviewing President Donald Trump's executive actions. On Friday, when asked if its Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) was performing its duty to review the "form and legality" of executive orders and proclamations, the Justice Department responded "no comment." While subsequent reports have suggested OLC may have reviewed at … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Durbin To President Trump: It’s A Deal - Let’s Fully Investigate 2016 Election
SHEPERDSTOWN, WV-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that he supports a full and independent investigation of the 2016 presidential election, including a review of irregularities, voter suppression, foreign interference, and President Trump's allegations of fraud. "Though our reasons may differ, the President and I agree that the American people deserve an independent, nonpartisan investigation of the 2016 election-let the truth come out about his baseless … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Durbin: President Trump Tweets Big On Federal Help For Chicago Violence, His Nominee For Attorney General Ducks The Issue
SHEPERDSTOWN, WV - In recent exchanges with U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), President Trump's nominee for U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) pressed him to sustain and increase U.S. Department of Justice support for Chicago's public safety efforts in light of the gun violence crisis in the city. Durbin also called on Sen. Sessions to honor and implement the Agreement in Principle that the City of Chicago and the Justice Department signed on January 13, 2017 that provides … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Durbin Calls Ratification Of Equal Rights Amendment Long Overdue
WASHINGTON - On the heels of the historic Women's March on Washington, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and 24 other senators in calling for the removal of the deadline set by Congress for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). When the ERA was passed in 1972, Congress stipulated in a joint resolution that the amendment had to be ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years. It later extended that deadline until 1982. 35 of the … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Durbin: We Need The Truth About President Trump And Russia Now
WASHINGTON - In a speech at the Center for American Progress, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed the need for an immediate, independent investigation of U.S. intelligence reports of Russian cyberattacks on the 2016 presidential election, as well as allegations of Russian attempts to compromise President Trump and contact between Trump officials and the Russian government. "Last Friday, America achieved what so many nations have failed to do - peacefully transition … Continue Reading
January 23, 2017
Durbin Statement On Vote Against CIA Director Nominee Rep. Mike Pompeo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: "Today, I voted against Rep. Pompeo's confirmation as Director of the CIA. His changing statements on the use of torture leave me no choice. His written answers to the Senate Intelligence Committee, saying that he will consult with CIA experts as to whether the methods in the U.S. Army Field Manual are sufficient, and if they aren't, work with legal experts and congressional overseers to make changes, are extremely … Continue Reading
January 17, 2017
Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats To Jeff Sessions: Don’t Block Russia Hack Investigation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and all committee Democrats today called on Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), nominee for attorney general, to allow investigations of Russia hacking to proceed and to recuse himself from those proceedings. The letter poses two questions to Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the nominee to become attorney general: 1. "Will you commit not to impede or shut down any FBI or … Continue Reading
January 13, 2017
Durbin Statement On Results Of DOJ Investigation Of Chicago Police Department
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released the results of a 13-month civil rights investigation into the policies and practices of the Chicago Police Department. Durbin joined Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in requesting the investigation. "Following the shocking video of the shooting death of Laquan McDonald, I wrote Attorney General Lynch urging her to open an … Continue Reading
January 11, 2017
Durbin Statement On Further Reports Of Russian Interference In The United States, Changing Context Of Sessions Hearing
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin released the following statement on reports that the U.S. intelligence community briefed President Obama and President-elect Trump on Russian efforts to collect "personally and financially compromising" information on the President-elect. On Friday, Durbin reviewed classified and unclassified versions of the U.S. intelligence community's assessment of Russia's cyberattack on the 2016 election. "The American people need to know the credibility of these … Continue Reading
January 10, 2017
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, … Continue Reading
January 06, 2017
Durbin Statement on U.S. Intel Report on Russian Cyberattacks
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after reviewing classified and unclassified versions of the U.S. intelligence community's assessment of Russia's cyberattack on the 2016 election: Today, the United States Congress counted the electoral ballots and officially certified the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. Hours later, we learned that President Vladimir Putin personally ordered a campaign to influence the outcome of … Continue Reading
January 04, 2017
Durbin Meets With U.S. Attorney General Nominee Senator Sessions
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) about his nomination to serve as U.S. Attorney General. Durbin discussed an array of key issues with Sen. Sessions, including gun violence and Department of Justice funding in the city of Chicago, comprehensive immigration reform and the future of DACA, criminal justice reform, policing and civil rights, race relations, and President-elect Trump's call for a ban on Muslims in America. "I have a long personal … Continue Reading
March 14, 2014
Durbin to CIA: Respect Separation of Powers and Declassify Torture Report
Washington, D.C. - In a strongly worded letter to CIA Director John Brennan, Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the CIA to support declassifying a report on its controversial detention and interrogation program. Durbin's letter follows the highly questionable and possibly unconstitutional search of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence computers by the CIA which was revealed this week. "I write to express my grave concerns about the CIA's actions with respect to … Continue Reading
February 25, 2014
Durbin: Time to End Use of Solitary Confinement for Juveniles, Pregnant Women, and those with Serious Mental Illness
Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) called for an end to the use of solitary confinement for juveniles, pregnant women and those with serious and persistent mental illness during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights. Durbin, who chaired the hearing, urged further reform of the controversial detention practice so the United States can protect human rights, improve public safety, and be more fiscally responsible. … Continue Reading
February 18, 2014
Durbin, Kelly Ask U.S. Attorney Fardon to Explain Federal Role in Harvey
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) today called on U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon to explain the federal government's role in Harvey, Illinois particularly as it relates to combating violent crime which has gone largely unpunished in the suburban Chicago town. Their letter follows a series of Chicago Tribune articles concerning violent crime in Harvey and questionable conduct in Harvey by local law enforcement, local government, and … Continue Reading
February 06, 2014
Durbin: Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Federal Judicial Nominee in Southern District of Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, has unanimously approved Nancy Rosenstengel for a federal judgeship on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois. Her nomination will now proceed to a vote by the full Senate. "Nancy Rosenstengel will make an exceptional judge in the Southern District. Her nomination is an historic one. Upon confirmation, Ms. Rosenstengel will be the first … Continue Reading
February 05, 2014
Durbin: New Exemptions Will Allow More Syrian Refugees to Enter U.S.
Washington, D.C. - Almost one month to the day after Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) asked the Obama administration to take steps to address the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, the Administration announced a series of exemptions to the overly-broad "material support" bar in U.S. immigration law. These exemptions will help ensure that innocent refugees will not be barred from the United States because they provided insignificant support to armed rebel groups. "These exemptions will help address … Continue Reading