Durbin Statement on President Biden's Southern Border Executive Action

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding President Biden’s executive action on the southern border:

“Nearly four months ago, Congress had an opportunity to help secure the border with the bipartisan border bill. Instead, in a stunning reversal, my Senate Republican colleagues opposed this bipartisan agreement, refusing to address these pressing issues, completely disregarding their urgency, and instead prioritizing Donald Trump’s demands.

“Since Republicans in Congress refuse to act, President Biden had no other choice but to move forward with an executive action. However, I am very disappointed that today’s executive action offers no pathways to legalization or other forms of relief for the long-term undocumented population and Dreamers in the United States.

“But as the President rightly notes, his executive action will not achieve the same results as legislation.  It is up to Congress to fix our broken immigration system so we can effectively and humanely secure our border.”

In March, Durbin led a group of 19 Senate Democrats in a letter to President Biden outlining recommendations for executive actions to streamline immigration relief for the undocumented population and DACA holders in the United States.

Durbin has been a champion for immigration reform for years.  Durbin, along with seven of his Republican and Democratic colleagues, authored a comprehensive immigration reform package that would have addressed many of the challenges our nation faces at the border today.  That legislation passed the Senate with bipartisan support in 2013 but did not receive a vote in the Republican-controlled House. 

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