Durbin Urges Congress to Find a Permanent Pathway for Dreamers and Pass His Dream Act

Press Release

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“I thought that the best way to describe this issue to people because it's still in controversy, still tied up in the courts as to whether DACA will have a future, is to share stories of the DACA recipients and who they are. I do that again today. This is the 141st DACA recipient—Dreamer—that I have told the story about here on the floor of the Senate.

DACA has allowed Edon to pursue his dreams for the time being—but DACA was always intended to be a temporary solution. Since President Obama established the program, Republicans have waged a relentless campaign to overturn DACA and deport these Dreamers back to countries they may not even remember. And now this program is hanging by a thread in the courts—and DACA recipients, like Edon, are being forced to live in fear and uncertainty every single day.

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Court decisions have also prevented any new Dreamers from registering for the program. This means that without congressional action, if we do nothing [and] continue to do nothing, hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who are ready to serve in their communities across the country may never have that opportunity.

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When he was President, Donald Trump tried to end the DACA program… And as a candidate, he has threatened to round up and deport undocumented immigrants [like Edon]. We can no longer stand idly by while extremist judges and politicians toy with the future of these young people who have only ever known life in this country. We in Congress should protect Dreamers like Edon right now.

I urge my colleagues to reach out to Dreamers in their states to learn more about these talented young people. I have given these speeches on the floor [about Dreamers]. These young people are good people—they deserve as much chance as our children do—to become part of this nation’s future. They are business owners, teachers, parents, athletes, scientists, nurses, health care workers, musicians, and so much more. Would America be better if they were gone? I think not. It’s clear that they are an important part of our future and an important part of our American life. It is time to get to work and pass the Dream Act once and for all. It’s the right thing to do—and it is long overdue,”

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