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 out against executive actions taken by President Donald Trump during his first week in office, including cracking down on immigrant communities, that, among other things, suspend refugee resettlement and attempt to deprive U.S.-born children of citizenship.
“We can all agree that the border of the United States should be secure. And, of course, we must deport any dangerous individuals who are here unlawfully. But the executive orders that President Trump signed this past week don’t target criminals. In fact, President Trump terminated a Biden administration policy that required immigration officials to prioritize for arrest and deportation individuals who threaten public safety or national security,” Durbin said. “Instead, President Trump has authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers, known as ICE officers, to make arrests in schools, churches, and courthouses across the country. The President has reportedly even directed ICE to set quotas for arrests, ramping up from a few hundred a day to more than 1,500 per day. These kinds of arbitrary quotas will ensure that essential workers, family members of U.S. citizens, and so many others who are no threat to this country and are not criminals, are caught up in the mass deportations.”
Durbin went on to explain how President Trump’s actions—like many of the President’s decisions on immigration—have nothing to do with protecting public safety or national security.
Instead, he decided to suspend a life-saving legal immigration program—the refugee admissions program, which provides safe haven for those fleeing oppressive regimes around the world, including Afghan women, Uyghurs fleeing Chinese persecution, and the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar’s military dictatorship.
“President Trump has also suspended the refugee admissions program. Why is that important? Well because when American soldiers go overseas to represent this country and to risk their lives for the country that they have sworn allegiance to, the United States, many times they rely on local citizens in those countries to help them. That’s what happened in Afghanistan,” Durbin said. “Men and women risked their lives to step forward and to help our troops… they included families of Afghans who are now facing persecution for that political decision to help the United States. We’ve offered to them, after going through extensive background checks, an opportunity to come to the United States.”
Durbin continued, “But the President canceled flights for approximately 10,000 refugees who have been approved to travel to the United States after waiting for long periods of time and going through extensive background checks. This includes nearly 1,600 Afghans who had been cleared for resettlement, many of them risked their lives for the United States’ cause and we were giving them safety and security… Stopping these flights makes America less safe. It is needlessly cruel to American families waiting to be reunited with loved ones. It also sends a message to allies supporting our troops around the world that we will not protect them if they face retribution for helping the United States.”
Durbin then criticized President Trump’s attempt to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. Durbin noted that this move is a clear violation of the Constitution and our values as a nation, and it does nothing to make our country safer.
“Additionally, President Trump is attempting to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. This is a clear violation of the Constitution,” said Durbin. “The order by President Trump has been blocked by a judge who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Listen to what he said about the lawsuit challenging birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment’s explicit language, ‘I’ve been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented was as clear as this one is… This is a blatantly unconstitutional order.’”
Finally, Durbin called out the Trump administration’s mass deportation raids in Chicago over the weekend.
“I was disappointed to see the White House border czar, Tom Homan, come to Chicago recently with ICE agents arresting immigrants… I am concerned these sweeping executive actions will leave those arrested by ICE, including those with lawful status and U.S. citizenship, with little opportunity to even state their case and show that they belong in this country. Let’s be clear, 90 percent of undocumented immigrants have no criminal convictions—90 percent,” Durbin said. “Immigrants are a key part of America’s success story. I do not want a single dangerous person to remain in this country or to be allowed to seek permanent residence here, period. But there are many who have been here for periods of time, have paid their taxes, followed the law, and should be part of America’s future. Our nation needs immigrants in many important places.”
Durbin concluded, “There is no room in this country for dangerous people, but there is plenty of room for those who aspire to make this a better nation. We should be fair in making a distinction and realizing the difference is significant.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here for TV Stations.
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