Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Immigration
Durbin Shares Story Of ‘Miss Diana,’ A Chicago-Area Teacher Who Was Pulled Out Of A Daycare & Unlawfully Detained For More Than A Week During ‘Operation Midway Blitz’
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered another scathing rebuke of the Trump Administration’s so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago. Since the operation launched nearly three months ago, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have used extreme tactics to unlawfully detain residents of Illinois or … Continue Reading
November 17, 2025
Durbin, Duckworth Help Introduce Bicameral Bill To Ensure DHS Detainees Can Speak To A Lawyer, Contact Their Families
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) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03) in introducing the Restoring Access to Detainees Act, a bill to ensure the Department of Homeland Security allows noncitizens who have been detained to contact their legal counsel and families. The bill comes after months of credible reporting that ICE and … Continue Reading
November 06, 2025
Durbin Statement On Federal Judge Issuing Critical Injunction Limiting Use Of Force By Immigration Agents
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis issued an injunction limiting the use of force by immigration agents in Chicago: “This is a much-needed ruling. As Judge Ellis said, the aggressive use of unnecessary force by immigration agents ‘shocks the conscience.’ The Trump Administration is racially profiling and arresting citizens, zip-tying kids, and … Continue Reading
November 05, 2025
Durbin Shares Story Of Green Card Holder Who Went Missing For Two Weeks After Being Unlawfully Detained By DHS Agents During So-Called “Operation Midway Blitz”
WASHINGTON - Two months after President Trump launched his so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor to again denounce the extreme tactics of U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as they routinely and unlawfully detain residents of Illinois. In his … Continue Reading
November 05, 2025
Durbin Presses ICE Acting Director On Denying Members Of Congress Access To Facilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons on denials of Members of Congress to visit ICE facilities and meet with detainees, including multiple attempts by Durbin to visit the Broadview ICE Facility in Illinois. In a letter to the Acting ICE Director, Durbin began by admonishing the Trump Administration for impeding on Congress’s oversight … Continue Reading
November 04, 2025
Durbin Reprimands DHS Agents For Cruel Treatment Of U.S. Citizen And Chicagoan Who Was Ripped From Her Car, Aggressively Arrested And Detained For Hours Without Cause
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor to criticize the Trump Administration’s cruel so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in the Chicago area, which has sown fear among communities in the city. In his remarks, Durbin denounced the aggressive immigration enforcement actions taken by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs … Continue Reading
November 04, 2025
Durbin Condemns ICE Activity During Halloween Weekend In Chicago
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning the Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement actions during Halloween weekend in the Chicagoland area. During his speech, Durbin also reflected on his visit to Little Village on Friday, where he met with high school students who organized a walk out to protest the Administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz.” Durbin has … Continue Reading
October 29, 2025
Durbin Applauds The Hundreds Of High School Students In Little Village Who Walked Out Of School To Protest Ice
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor praising the hundreds of high school students in Little Village who walked out of class yesterday to protest the Trump Administration’s cruel “Operation Midway Blitz” in the Chicagoland area. Durbin has continuously gone to the Senate floor and made clear that the increased presence and enforcement actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs … Continue Reading
October 28, 2025
After Bovino Appears In Court In Chicago, Durbin Again Denounces “Operation Midway Blitz” As Wreaking Havoc On Illinois Communities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor to again denounce the Trump Administration’s cruel so-called “Operation Midway Blitz” in the Chicago area, which has sown fear among communities in the city. In his remarks, Durbin made clear that the increased presence and enforcement actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and … Continue Reading
October 27, 2025
Durbin Praises Religious Leaders For Condemning ICE Actions In Chicago, Asks Americans To Join
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised religious leaders for condemning the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for unlawful raids, encouraging Americans to join in condemning the Trump Administration’s anti-immigrant agenda. Durbin began by praising and entering a homily by the Archbishop of Washington and a … Continue Reading
October 23, 2025
Durbin: When Will My Colleagues On The Other Side Of The Aisle Decide The Cruelty And Fear Tactics Of This Administration Must Stop?
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor to condemn “Operation Midway Blitz” in Illinois. During his speech, Durbin reflected on the cruel tactics coming from this Administration—ripping families apart, with ICE and CBP showing up at schools, churches, health departments, and more. Last Friday, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to greenlight the deployment of … Continue Reading
October 22, 2025
Durbin Meets With Illinois Higher Education Leaders To Discuss Impact Of “Operation Midway Blitz” And Meeting The Moment For Their Students
WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met with the University of Illinois (U of I) System President Tim Killeen and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda to discuss the impact of President Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz” and militarized immigration enforcement efforts on student and school safety, as well as how UIC is continuing to step up for its students through the uncertainty and fear. The meeting follows reporting on a viral video … Continue Reading
October 21, 2025
Durbin Presses Noem On Lax ICE Hiring Standards, Inflammatory Recruitment Messaging
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pressed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem on recent changes to hiring practices at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Following a massive funding increase by Congress, ICE is recruiting new staff by employing polarizing and inflammatory recruitment messaging while also lowering age and training requirements with signing bonuses. In a letter to … Continue Reading
October 17, 2025
Durbin Statement On Trump Administration Urging Supreme Court To Green Light The Deployment Of National Guard Troops To Chicago
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the Trump Administration filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn lower-court rulings that have temporarily blocked President Trump’s plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago: “After federal judges appointed by presidents of both parties repeatedly ruled that President Trump cannot deploy service members as his … Continue Reading
October 17, 2025
Durbin, Schumer, Reed, Coons, Duckworth Lead Senators In Requesting DOD Inspector General Inquiry Into Domestic Deployment Of Military In American Cities
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY); U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense; and combat Veteran U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led 22 Senators in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Defense Acting Inspector General … Continue Reading
October 17, 2025
As Trump Administration Pursues Deployment Of Military In American Cities, Durbin, Padilla, Schiff, Wyden, & Merkley Meet With NORTHCOM Leadership
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), spoke with NORTHCOM leadership about the Trump Administration’s unlawful deployment of troops to American cities for immigration and law enforcement support. During the call, the Senators requested additional information about how these domestic deployments will impact military readiness and stressed that the nation’s military … Continue Reading
October 16, 2025
Durbin Debunks Republican Falsehoods On ICE In Chicago, Calls For Secretary Noem To Testify Before Senate Judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON - At an executive business meeting this morning, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, debunked previously-peddled falsehoods by Senate Judiciary Republicans about President Trump’s unlawful attempt to deploy the National Guard to Illinois, as well as re-upping Democrats’ months-long call for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem to testify before the Committee. Durbin began by refuting U.S. Senator … Continue Reading
October 13, 2025
Durbin Statement On The Return Of The Hostages Held By Hamas
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the release of the remaining 20 living hostages held by Hamas: “Congratulations to President Trump for the historic Gaza agreement. We know there are still critical elements to be negotiated and settled but the release of the Israeli hostages and the Palestinian prisoners is a good faith start. “Now let’s negotiate a political ceasefire on Capitol … Continue Reading
September 30, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan H-1B, L-1 Visa Reform Bill
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, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to reform and close loopholes in the H-1B and L-1 visa programs. The H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act targets fraud and abuse in our immigration system, provides protections for American workers and visa holders, and enhances transparency in the foreign worker … Continue Reading
September 25, 2025
Durbin, Grassley Take Aim At Labor Exploitation In Tech, Finance, Retail Sectors
CHICAGO - 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, are scrutinizing major corporations who are the biggest users of the H-1B visa program for filing thousands of H-1B visa petitions after conducting mass layoffs of American employees. In letters to ten major corporations, the Senators are requesting information and data from each company regarding their … Continue Reading