Press Releases
Amid Surge In ICE Hiring, Durbin Remarks On Low Standards Of ICE Recruits Who Have Failed Drug Tests, Have Pending Criminal Charges, And More
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today denounced the low hiring standards of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recruits amid a surge in hiring. The Trump Administration announced their goal of onboarding 10,000 new agents by the end of the year—which would double the number of deportation officers, from roughly 6,000 to 16,000. Durbin also spoke out on the Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Ahead Of The Senate’s ACA Tax Credit Vote, Durbin Joins Spotlight Forum Highlighting The Importance Of The ACA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today participated in a spotlight forum hosted by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mark Warner (D-VA) focused on the need to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits ahead of the Senate’s vote tomorrow on the Democratic proposal for a clean three-year extension of the ACA tax credits. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Durbin: Trump’s 2018 Racist Reference To “S-Hole” Countries Was An Embarrassment
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 about President Donald Trump finally admitting that he used the slur “shithole countries” to denigrate Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting in the Oval Office that Durbin attended. Trump admitted to this comment during his rally in Pennsylvania last night. Following the 2018 meeting, Durbin was criticized by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Durbin, Schakowsky Introduce Legislation To Improve The Medical Device Recall Process
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) today reintroduced legislation to improve the medical device recall process in order to protect patients. The Medical Device Recall Improvement Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish an electronic format for medical device recall notifications to streamline communication between device manufacturers, FDA, hospitals, and health care professionals. It also … Continue Reading
December 10, 2025
Senate Judiciary Democrats Push Back Against FBI, DOJ Investigation Threats Into Six Members Of Congress
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in pushing back against the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) attempt to use the threat of investigation to harass and intimidate U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), as well as U.S. Representatives Maggie Goodlander (D-NH-01), Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), and Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06)—after the Members … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Calls On Congress To Pass His Bill Combatting Online Child Sexual Abuse Material
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked for unanimous consent (UC) for the Senate to pass his bipartisan STOP CSAM Act alongside the bill’s cosponsor U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO). “I come to the floor today to ask the Senate to pass the STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would finally open the courthouse doors to survivors of child exploitation and their families. Too many parents feel a pit in … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Speaks At Spotlight Forum Examining The Trump Administration’s Aggressive Tactics In Pursuing Its Mass Deportation Scheme
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today participated in a bicameral spotlight forum entitled “Our Values at Stake: DHS Overreach and Violations of U.S. Citizen Rights.” The forum, convened by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), provided a public platform for five U.S. citizens, including Dayanne Figueroa of Chicago, to share their story of being arbitrarily arrested … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Durbin Questions Witnesses On Addressing CSAM & Protecting Children Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned witnesses in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Protecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.” Durbin first questioned Jessica Smolar, a former federal prosecutor who investigated and prosecuted child exploitation offenses, about the current child exploitation sentencing guidelines and whether those current guidelines are deficient in … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Judiciary Committee Hearing On Protecting Kids Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered opening remarks in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “Protecting Our Children Online Against the Evolving Offender.” During his opening, Durbin highlighted his STOP CSAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material, among other … Continue Reading
December 09, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Landmark Legislative Package To Protect Kids Online
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced three bipartisan bills to hold violent criminals accountable and combat the disturbing rise in online child exploitation. The Committee is convening a hearing on child safety online today. The Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act), Ending Coercion of Children and Harm … Continue Reading
December 08, 2025
In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Calls On Republicans To Protect Health Care Coverage For Their Constituents Ahead Of This Week’s Vote To Extend ACA Tax Credits
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor ahead of the Senate’s anticipated vote to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits this week. These tax credits have put health care within reach for Americans by lowering health insurance premiums for more than 20 million Americans nationwide, including upwards of 500,000 Illinoisans. Durbin received a commitment from Republican Leader John Thune to put a bill on … Continue Reading
December 05, 2025
Durbin Celebrates Final Introduction Of The Dream Act With Local Immigration Advocates
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today joined The Resurrection Project and other Chicago immigration advocacy groups to celebrate the introduction the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025, which would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Durbin Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award For Decades Of Work Protecting Students From Predatory For-Profit Colleges
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS) and the Protect Students and Taxpayers Coalition at their annual meeting, which brings together more than 30 organizations representing veterans, consumers, civil rights organizations, and state attorneys general. Durbin was presented the award in recognition of his decades of work protecting students from the predatory and deceptive … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Durbin Meets With Priests For Justice For Immigrants Amid The Trump Administration’s Cruel Immigration Tactics
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Priests for Justice for Immigrants from the Chicago-area and members of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL). During the meeting, they discussed the importance of supporting immigrants in the face of the Trump Administration’s cruel mass deportation scheme, including the so-called “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has been used as a mechanism by the … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth, Casten, McClellan Introduce Legislation To Mitigate Negative Impacts Of Natural Gas Pipelines
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), both members of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL-06) and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA-04) introduced the FERC Greenhouse Gas and Environmental Justice Policy Act of 2025, legislation to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to assess and mitigate the impacts that natural gas pipelines approved by FERC under the Natural Gas Act … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Durbin Statement On DOD IG’s Report On ‘Signalgate,’ Determination That Secretary Hegseth Endangered U.S. Service Members
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) report which concluded that U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth endangered the lives of American service members by discussing military operations via unsecured text chains: “Today’s DOD Inspector General report reinforces what we already knew to be true: Secretary Hegseth does not … Continue Reading
December 04, 2025
Durbin, Murkowski Introduce The Dream Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced the Dream Act of 2025, which would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, known as Dreamers, have lived in America since they were children, built their … Continue Reading
December 03, 2025
Durbin Announces His Final Introduction Of The Dream Act & Shares 150th Dreamer Story On The Senate Floor
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that he and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will introduce the Dream Act of 2025 tomorrow. The bipartisan legislation would allow noncitizens without lawful status who were brought to the United States as children and meet certain education, military service, or work requirements to earn lawful permanent residence. These young people, … Continue Reading
December 02, 2025
Durbin To His Republican Colleagues: What If ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ Comes To Your State Or Hometown?
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke out on the Trump Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has been used as a mechanism by the President to sow fear in Illinois communities as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have been tasked with carrying out the Trump Administration’s cruel mass … Continue Reading
December 02, 2025
Durbin: If Republicans Reject The Democratic Proposal To Address ACA Subsidies, The American Public Will Know Which Party Abandoned Them
WASHINGTON - As open enrollment for 2026 individual market health insurance plans has begun and Americans across the country are facing astronomic increases in their monthly premiums for next year, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor about the health care affordability crisis, caused by congressional Republicans refusing to extend the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. These tax credits lower health insurance premiums for more than 20 … Continue Reading