Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President-Elect Trump's Threats Of Mass Deportation

12.10.24

Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On President-Elect Trump's Threats Of Mass Deportation

In his opening statement, Durbin calls on hsi colleagues to come together to pass meaningful immigration reform

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "How Mass Deportations Will Separate American Families, Harm Our Armed Forces, and Devastate Our Economy." The hearing will examine the consequences of mass deportations, as well as stress the need to shift congressional efforts toward sensible solutions that bring order to the border and provide a path to citizenship to longtime residents with no serious criminal convictions.

Throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump and his anti-immigrant advisors have threatened to use the power of the American military to deport upwards of 13 million noncitizens, including long-time DACA holders, farmworkers, and TPS beneficiaries.

President-elect Trump's proposed mass deportations would separate American families, weaken our armed forces, and devastate our economy.

Key Quotes:

"Thirteen million undocumented immigrants live in our country. Most have been here for a long period of time. They are health care workers, teachers, farmworkers, small business owners. They pay taxes-nearly $50 billion a year."

"And many, like one of our witnesses today, grew up alongside our children and grandchildren with the same dreams of a first job, a driver's license, and college acceptance."

"I hope that we can all agree that any undocumented immigrant found guilty of a serious crime should not be allowed to stay here."

"In his first term, President Trump deported Dreamers who came to the United States as children. He deported veterans who had served our nation. He deported essential workers who care for our family members, build our homes, and make sure we have food on the table in the morning."

"Now, President-elect Trump has pledged that on the first day of his new administration, he will declare a national emergency and use our military as part of a mass deportation plan."

"In addition to weakening our military, it would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to deport every undocumented immigrant in our country. It would damage our economy and separate American families. Instead, we should focus on deporting those who are truly a danger to America."

"And we should give the rest a chance to earn legal status. They would have to register with the government, certainly pay their taxes, and submit to serious background checks. Most Americans-nearly two out of three-agree we should give lawful status to undocumented immigrants who don't pose a threat to our country."

"That's what we did in 2013. A bipartisan group of eight Senators-including myself and Ranking Member Graham-drafted a bill to reform our immigration laws and secure our border… That bill passed the Senate 68-32. Unfortunately, it wasn't taken up by the House of Representatives and its Republican majority."

"The reality is that Congress has failed for nearly 40 years to fix our broken immigration system."

"We should use our 2013 immigration bill as the starting point. Instead of mass deportations, [let's have] mass accountability. Let's fix our broken immigration system in a way that protects our country and honors our heritage as a nation of immigrants."

Video of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin's opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

Durbin has long been a champion for immigration reform. Durbin introduced the Dream Act 23 years ago with the late Republican Senator and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Orrin Hatch (R-UT). In 2010, Durbin sent a letter, joined by the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers. Twelve years ago, President Obama responded by announcing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. More than 830,000 Dreamers have since come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to this country as teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, small business owners, and more.

The Dream Act was also included in the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform bill that Durbin coauthored as part of the "Gang of Eight"-made up of four Democrats and four Republicans. The 2013 bill passed the Senate on a strong bipartisan vote of 68-32, but the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives refused to consider it. Over the years, Senate Republicans have filibustered the Dream Actat least five times.

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