U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, who serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke at a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing focused on fraud in Minnesota. Durbin criticized the hearing’s approach, stating it targeted Somali Americans and refugees instead of addressing broader issues of fraud across the United States.
Durbin expressed concern about the Trump Administration’s handling of immigration enforcement and refugee admissions. He said, “Under the Trump Administration, we have also seen an unprecedented number of deaths in federal immigration detention, one of which was recently ruled a homicide. Desperate families are waiting for answers. These are the devastating impacts of this Administration’s reckless, aggressive mass deportation campaign.”
He called for increased oversight by members of the committee: “As members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, it is our responsibility to conduct much-needed oversight of the Trump Administration and to have a reasoned, bipartisan discussion on how to stop these abuses of power and fix the broken immigration system. Instead, we are having yet our second hearing in two weeks demonizing an entire community based on a few individuals’ misconduct.”
Durbin also discussed changes to refugee policy under President Trump: “This Administration shut down refugee admissions on day one—except for white Afrikaners. They have justified this decision based on alleged fraud. To be clear, under the Biden Administration, refugees went through multi-layered, rigorous vetting process, considered the ‘gold standard’ of vetting. In contrast, under this Administration, from the comfort of their homes in South Africa, Afrikaners can apply for the refugee program using a Google form.”
He described recent actions by immigration agents: “This Administration is rounding up lawfully admitted refugees. In recent weeks, immigration agents arrested over 100 refugees with no criminal record in Minnesota and flew them to detention centers in Texas for ‘interviews.’ Some were released in the middle of the night, thousands of miles from home. They had no idea where they were. They were not given their paperwork or identification.”
Highlighting that many affected individuals had followed legal procedures to come to America after years spent abroad and extensive government vetting processes coordinated by U.S agencies such as Homeland Security, Durbin said: “These individuals had immigrated ‘the right way’ to the United States. Many waited for years in refugee camps overseas. They underwent extensive vetting by the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies. They arrived on flights coordinated by the U.S. government.”
He questioned why highly vetted refugees were being treated harshly: “It is wrong to treat these refugees like fraudsters. So why is the government putting these highly vetted refugees in shackles, transporting them thousands of miles from home, and ‘interviewing’ them in detention? We only have to look to the President’s own words. He has repeatedly made bigoted and racist attacks on Somali immigrants, calling them ‘garbage.’”
Durbin also referenced a now-deleted social media post by President Trump targeting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama: “The racist attacks have not stopped with immigrants. Just last week, Trump posted a disgusting, racist image of former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle... His staff took down but he refuses to apologize.”
“This racism should have no place in our society or in our immigration system,” Durbin added.
On efforts against fraud within immigrant communities he stated: “Let’s be clear: fraud is a crime… I will remind everyone that it was the Biden Justice Department that opened Minnesota fraud investigation… And it is Trump Justice Department that has diverted prosecutors… away from fraud investigations…”
He concluded with support for humane treatment within U.S immigration policy: “Refugees are some of most vulnerable and most vetted individuals… We can target fraud without shackling… It is time we reject these racist attacks…”
The Senate Judiciary Committee plays an important role overseeing legislation related to constitutional protections as well as public safety across America (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/). The committee reviews laws affecting civil rights and oversees federal law enforcement while evaluating judicial nominations (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/). Led by its chairperson with participation from both major parties (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/), it influences national policies regarding judicial matters (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/) as part of its standing authority within Congress (https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/).
Video footage along with audio recordings from Senator Durbin's opening statement at today’s hearing are available online.
