[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 15 (Thursday, January 29, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S612-S613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, 29 days from today, on February 27, the 
Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America will 
run out of money. The only way to prevent this is for Congress to pass 
legislation to fund this Department. We should not even be debating 
whether we are going to fund the Department that protects America from 
terrorism threats, but that is fact.
  Republicans in the House, when we did the budget bill, insisted that 
we would fund the entire Federal Government through September 30, 
except for the Department of Homeland Security. The reason they 
withheld regular budget funding for that Department was they wanted to 
make a political point. They are angered at President Obama for 
stepping forward with Executive orders on the issue of immigration, 
even though the same House Republicans have refused for over a year and 
a half to call the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed 
this Senate on a bipartisan basis and refused for over a year and a 
half to address any aspect of immigration. In a fit of pique they said: 
We are so angry President Obama is going to do something by way of 
Executive order, we are going to withhold regular funding from the 
Department that protects America from terrorism.
  What were they thinking? Look at the world we live in: a world of 
Charlie Hebdo, a world of beheading of Japanese journalists, a world 
that is in danger of terrorist threat, and the United States has felt 
that danger. We will never forget what happened on 9/11. After that 
experience, we made the Department of Homeland Security a critical, 
viable part of America's defense against terrorism.
  The Republicans have said: No, before we fund this agency, we have to 
have five riders on the appropriations bill that attack President 
Obama. Then we might consider giving regular funding to this 
Department. One aspect of those riders is particularly troubling.
  It was 14 years ago that I introduced the DREAM Act, a simple 
concept. Children brought to the United States by their parents who are 
undocumented should be given a chance--simple. Children who were 
brought to the United States as infants and toddlers and had no voice 
in the decision of their family and end up here undocumented should be 
given a chance--a chance to complete school, to be good citizens, to go 
on to college, to serve in the military, and then a path to legal 
status. It is not a radical idea.
  At times many Republicans have openly supported the DREAM Act. When 
we couldn't pass it I appealed to the President, at least protect these 
DREAMers from being deported. These kids did nothing wrong. They were 
brought here by their parents. Why hold these children accountable? The 
President agreed and 2\1/2\ years ago created DACA.
  DACA is an Executive order that says to these young people who would 
otherwise qualify for the DREAM Act, you come forward, you identify 
yourself, you let us make sure you have no criminal record that would 
be of worry to anyone, pay your fee, and we will allow you to 
temporarily stay in the United States as a student or a worker without 
being deported. It is just that simple.
  We estimate 2 million young children are eligible for the DREAM Act--
2 million--and 600,000 have already registered under DACA, the 
President's Executive order.
  What did the House Republicans say? They said, before we will fund 
the Department of Homeland Security protecting America against 
terrorism, you have to deport the DREAMers, refuse to renew the DACA 
protection for 600,000 who have signed up, and refuse to allow any new 
young person to sign up for this protection.
  I have come to the floor for a long period of time and I will 
continue to because I want people to know what the DREAM Act means. It 
is something, I guess, of significance to stand and give a speech, but 
it truly doesn't touch people until they hear actual stories.
  The story I wish to tell today is of a young woman whom I know. I was 
just with her in Chicago. Her name is Karen Villagomez. She was brought 
to the United States at the age of 2. Incidentally, that was the same 
age my mother was brought to the United States as an immigrant.
  Karen was brought here at the age of 2 from Mexico. She grew up in 
Chicago. She was an outstanding student, and she always had an interest 
in public service. In May of 2012 she graduated from the University of 
Rochester in New York with a major in political science. She was not 
only the first person in her family to graduate from a 4-year college--
because Karen Villagomez is undocumented, she didn't receive one penny 
of government assistance. She made it through college on her own 
without any help because as an undocumented young woman that was the 
only chance she had.
  Just 1 month after she graduated, President Obama created the DACA 
Program. After she applied and cleared and received DACA protection 
from deportation, she found a job as a paralegal in a law firm in 
Chicago, where she has been working for the last 2 years.
  I saw her 1 week ago Friday. She was in Chicago, and she is amazing. 
She served as an intern in my office. She is one of the brightest, most 
engaging people one could meet. She looked me in the eye and said: 
Senator, I am going to law school. I have just been accepted. She is 
supposed to start this fall. But if the House Republicans have their 
way, this fall she will find herself being deported from the United 
States of America.
  Think about it. All we have invested in her, all we have put into her 
life in terms of education, not only K-12 but a college degree now, and 
the House Republicans would say to Karen Villagomez: Thank you for 
being part of America, but no thanks, leave. Take whatever skills you 
have, whatever determination you have to make a difference and take it 
someplace else. America doesn't need your idealism, the House 
Republicans say.
  I couldn't disagree with them more. If they have their way, Karen 
would never attend law school. She will never be an attorney. She will 
be deported back to Mexico, a country she hasn't lived in since she was 
2 years old.
  Karen got up every morning in the classroom--just as we do on the 
Senate floor--and pledged allegiance to that flag. That is the only 
flag she knows. When she sings the national anthem, it is not the 
national anthem of Mexico, it is the national anthem of the United 
States of America. Karen wants to be part of the future of this 
country.
  Two weeks ago when she joined me at Erie House in Chicago for a press 
conference, this is what she said:


[[Page S613]]


       DACA represents the values and heritage of this country of 
     immigrants; it was the right thing to do and it has changed 
     my life by replacing fear with hope. This executive action 
     gave me an overwhelming sense of relief and hope. It lifted 
     me from the shadows.

  Karen's is one of 2 million stories of eligible young people who want 
to be part of the future of America.
  It is time for the Senate to say no to the House on a bipartisan 
basis. It is time for us to reject this hate-filled amendment process 
they engaged in that put five riders on this appropriations bill to 
penalize young people such as Karen Villagomez.
  Is that the face of the Republican Party of America--deporting Karen 
Villagomez and saying to her and others: You are not welcome in 
America. Leave.
  I don't think so. There are many Republicans who come to me and say: 
I support the DREAM Act. So let's support the DREAM Act. This is their 
chance. Step up and defeat these horrible riders that were attached to 
this appropriations bill by the House Republicans. Step up and give us 
a chance as a nation to renew our commitment to our diversity, to our 
heritage as a nation of immigrants, and to renew our commitment to 
young people such as Karen, whom we have told: If you work hard against 
the odds and succeed, we want you to be part of our future.

                          ____________________