U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, addressed the Senate regarding ongoing negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms as the deadline for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding approaches. The Senate recently passed a two-week stopgap measure to fund DHS, set to expire on Friday.
Durbin called on Republicans to work with Democrats to enact changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “Republicans have had a week to work with Democrats to reform ICE and CBP and rein in the campaign of terror we’ve witnessed in Chicago, Minneapolis, and across the country. I’m sorry to say we’ve made little progress in reaching a deal. The Administration’s campaign of terror has led to the detention of innocent people, serious injuries, and deaths—including those of Alex Pretti and Renee Good of Minnesota, both American citizens who were exercising their constitutional rights to observe and protest ICE enforcement. Americans are seeing this chaos play out in countless videos. And they’re demanding change,” Durbin said.
President Trump has described these operations as targeting dangerous criminals. However, according to CBS News reporting cited by Durbin, less than 14 percent of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by ICE agents in 2025 had charges or convictions for violent crimes. Nearly 40 percent had no criminal record at all, while only two percent were alleged gang members.
“These militarized immigration enforcement operations are not really designed to lock up the ‘worst of the worst,’ but designed to sow fear into our communities… And while ‘Operation Metro Surge’ in Minnesota has been in the national spotlight recently, the City of Chicago is no stranger to Trump’s campaign of terror,” Durbin added.
Durbin also referenced Marimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen from Chicago who testified at a recent forum about being shot five times by a CBP agent during “Operation Midway Blitz.” Martinez was initially charged with assaulting the agent but was never charged with any weapons violation; charges were later dropped. The CBP agent remains employed by DHS.
“The fact that Ms. Martinez is alive today after being shot five times is a miracle. And I told her as much… Ms. Martinez, a teaching assistant to little kids, spoke of the trauma she continues to carry with her. [She said] ‘the physical scars will always be there in the mornings and evenings, when I get dressed and I stare at my body, now permanently disfigured by the five lead bullets.’ She continued ‘they will be there this summer when I head to the beach with my dogs and family. They will be there when I get down on the floor with my students.’ That shooting will be with her the rest of her life… Does Ms. Martinez sound like ‘the worst of the worst?’ Does she sound like a murderer, a rapist, a terrorist, criminally insane [person that the President claimed to be targeting with these raids?] Of course not,” said Durbin.
Senate Democrats have proposed several reforms for federal immigration agencies: ending roving patrols without probable cause or judicial warrants; implementing new use-of-force standards allowing local law enforcement oversight; mandating body cameras; and prohibiting masks during operations.
“Democrats are united in our calls for these common sense reforms, and the American people will back us up. This week, we need the Republicans to work in good faith to get a deal done,” Durbin stated.
He also criticized Secretary Noem for not appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee within the past year: “In the meantime, I want to note something: Secretary Noem has not appeared once before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the last year… She says she’s too busy… too busy to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee and explain the lethal mismanagement of her agency and the damage that’s being done. She says now she may come in a few weeks… The Administration must end this aggressive immigration enforcement surge and mass deportation campaign. ICE and federal agents need to play by the same rules as professional police forces across America.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee plays an important role through its legislative oversight duties affecting constitutional protections nationwide as well as public safety concerns such as those raised by Senator Durbin's remarks on immigration enforcement policy changes.
The committee is responsible for reviewing legislation related to federal law enforcement agencies like ICE and CBP—two organizations central in current debates—and evaluating judicial nominations. It includes senators from both parties under leadership tasked with holding hearings on legal matters. Based in Washington D.C., it influences civil rights policies throughout America.
Video footage from Senator Durbin’s speech is available online.
