Press Releases
Durbin, Padilla Object To Trump Administration’s Refugee Program Solely For White Afrikaners, Condemn Illegal Consultation With Congress
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration, objected to the Trump Administration’s flawed attempt at an appropriate consultation with Congress on May 21st and increase in the refugee admissions goal solely for white Afrikaners from South Africa. In a letter to President Trump entered into the … Continue Reading
June 08, 2026
Durbin Statement On Trump Formally Nominating Todd Blanche To Be Attorney General
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on President Trump formally nominating Todd Blanche to be Attorney General: “Donald Trump has been engaged in the most corrupt enterprise in the history of the Presidency. Todd Blanche apparently has not noticed.” … Continue Reading
June 08, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Announce $9.1 Million In Medical Research Grants For Illinois Institutions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $9,148,321 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to Illinois institutions for medical research. The grantees will use the federal funding to better understand neurological disorders, infectious diseases, addiction, and cancer while also providing federal support for medical research training and infrastructure programs. “Illinois is home to world-class … Continue Reading
June 05, 2026
On National Gun Violence Awareness Day, Durbin Meets With Organizations Addressing Root Causes
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) marked National Gun Violence Awareness Day today by meeting with community organizations that are members of the Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) initiative in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. CP4P engages residents in working on solutions to end gun violence while forging closer partnerships with public agencies and law enforcement. “On this day, we wear orange to honor the nearly 4,000 children and teens who are shot and … Continue Reading
June 05, 2026
Durbin Statement On Republicans Jamming Through $70 Billion In ICE, CBP Funding
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after Senate Republicans jammed through nearly $70 billion to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) without any reforms to the agencies: “Not one penny included in this legislation will help struggling American families with the rising cost of gas, groceries, housing, or health care. But Republicans were … Continue Reading
June 05, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth, Rep. Kelly To Introduce “Wear Orange” Resolution To Honor Hadiya Pendleton, Gun Violence Survivors
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) announced their “Wear Orange” resolution to designate June 5 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the entire month as National Gun Violence Awareness Month as gun violence often spikes when summer begins. The resolution honors Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed in a Chicago park on January … Continue Reading
June 05, 2026
During Voting Marathon To Greenlight Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign, Senate Republicans Reject Durbin’s Amendment To Protect DACA Recipients
WASHINGTON - As Senate Republicans attempt to jam through nearly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to support the President’s cruel mass deportation campaign, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of the Dream Act, called up his amendment to protect DACA recipients for a vote. The amendment would redirect $10 million towards timely processing of DACA … Continue Reading
June 04, 2026
Durbin Files Amendments To Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill To Protect Immigrants
WASHINGTON - In response to the current vote-a-rama on Senate Republicans’ partisan reconciliation bill, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, filed amendments to the bill that would protect DACA recipients and keep immigration enforcement officials from targeting sensitive locations like schools and hospitals. After failing to include funding in the bill for Trump’s billion-dollar ballroom and weaponized Justice Department, Senate … Continue Reading
June 04, 2026
After FDA Grants Free Pass To Flavored E-Cigarettes, Durbin Leads Senate Democrats In Letter To Tobacco Companies About Trump Administration Influence
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Jack Reed (D-RI) sent letters to Reynolds American and Altria Group to inquire about these Big Tobacco companies’ engagement with the Trump Administration, following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent misguided decisions to unleash kid-friendly flavored e-cigarettes. Reynolds American’s recent $5 … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
Durbin Questions Secretary Rubio About $400 Million In Stalled U.S. Assistance For Ukraine And Continuation Of Clean Water Programs For The World’s Poor
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a committee hearing examining the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request for the U.S. Department of State. During the hearing, Durbin pressed Secretary Rubio about U.S. assistance for Ukraine as it continues to fight off Russian … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
Durbin Slams Senate Republicans For Holding A Subcommittee Hearing Supporting Trump Administration Threats To Denaturalize Americans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing entitled “Protecting American Citizenship III: Denaturalization and Its Constitutional Limits.” Durbin slammed Senate Republicans for holding a subcommittee hearing supporting the Trump Administration’s threats of denaturalization—an attempt to intimidate naturalized Americans who challenge the … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
Durbin Statement On Successfully Blocking Trump Ballroom, All Justice Department Funding From Reconciliation Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after Senate Republicans stripped language from the reconciliation bill funding Donald Trump’s ballroom and the Department of Justice: “Thanks to the outrage of the American people and hard-fought challenges by Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans finally gave up on funding Trump’s billionaire ballroom for now. “But can we really be sure this is the … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
Durbin Touts Rock Island Arsenal’s High-Quality Manufacturing In Meeting With Army Secretary Driscoll
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, today met with U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll as the Senate Appropriations Committee reviews the Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request. Durbin and Secretary Driscoll’s conversation centered on the importance of supporting jobs at Rock Island Arsenal and ensuring that the Arsenal is valued as a critical producer of military equipment. Last … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
As The Trump Administration Continues To Threaten DACA & Senate Republicans Push For Additional ICE, CBP Funding, Durbin Denounces The President’s Cruel Mass Deportation Campaign
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), author of the Dream Act, today denounced the Trump Administration’s continued threats to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and Senate Republicans’ reconciliation bill which would give the Trump Administration $70 billion additional dollars for the President’s mass deportation operation. “I’ve seen it firsthand [President Trump’s mass deportation campaign] in the city of … Continue Reading
June 03, 2026
In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Calls For Opposition To FISA Section 702 Reauthorization Without Serious Reforms
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his Senate colleagues to support serious reforms to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which is set to expire on June 12 after Congress passed an extension for the legislation in April. Section 702 grew out of a secret warrantless surveillance program conducted by the Bush Administration after the terrorist … Continue Reading
June 02, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Announce More Than $69 Million In Health Care Grants For Illinois
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced $69,081,227 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants to Illinois institutions. About $67.7 million of this funding was awarded through the Health Resources & Services Administration’s (HRSA) Health Center Program (H80), which offers federal funding for health centers that treat medically underserved communities. The other $1.4 million in grant funding will … Continue Reading
June 02, 2026
Durbin, Duckworth Statement Calling For The Interim U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois Andrew Boutros To Resign
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros: “Andrew Boutros’s time as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois has been riddled with chaos, deep internal dysfunction, and alleged misconduct. He must resign, and there must be an open, transparent, and … Continue Reading
June 01, 2026
Durbin Speaks Out Against Least Qualified Judicial Nominee Of Trump’s Second Term
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke against the nomination of Katie Lane, President Trump’s nominee to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana and the first judicial nominee to receive a “Not Qualified” rating from the American Bar Association (ABA) during Trump’s second term. “There are more than 3,000 licensed attorneys in the state of Montana. … Continue Reading
June 01, 2026
Durbin Denounces Trump’s Nearly $2 Billion Slush Fund For January 6 Insurrectionists & Political Allies
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today slammed the Trump Administration for its nearly $2 billion U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) slush fund, which will allow January 6 insurrectionists and the President’s corrupt allies to line their pockets with taxpayer dollars. While DOJ announced it will abide by a district court’s injunction and pause the slush fund for now, Senate Democrats … Continue Reading
May 29, 2026
New Rosecrance Behavioral Health Center Opens With Help From $1 Million Durbin Earmark
CHAMPAIGN - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony today for the new Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center at Rosecrance on Moreland. The redesigned space is equipped to provide rapid triage, comprehensive behavioral health assessments, and crisis stabilization services to ensure patients receive prompt, compassionate care when they need it most. “When Rosecrance told me that they wanted to construct a new Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center … Continue Reading