[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S403-S404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Immigration

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we can all agree that the border of the 
United States should be secure. And, of course, we must deport any 
dangerous individuals who are here unlawfully.
  But the Executive orders that President Trump signed this past week 
don't target criminals. In fact, President Trump terminated a Biden 
administration policy that required immigration officials to prioritize 
for arrest and deportation individuals who threaten public safety or 
national security. Instead, President Trump has authorized Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement officers known as ICE officers, to make arrests 
in schools, churches, and courthouses across the country. The President 
has reportedly even directed ICE to set quotas for arrest, ramping up 
from a few hundred a day to more than 1,500 per day.
  These kinds of arbitrary quotas will ensure that essential workers, 
family members of U.S. citizens, and so many others who are no threat 
to this country and are not criminals are caught up in these mass 
deportations.
  For example, just this weekend, Trump officials stated that the raids 
they conducted were targeted toward criminals. Yet in Chicago, a 
husband and father with no criminal history was reportedly arrested by 
ICE on his way to work. His family was only made aware that something 
was wrong when he didn't show up at his shift. In New Jersey, ICE 
agents detained and questioned a military veteran and U.S. citizens 
simply because they weren't carrying on their person a passport or a 
license. These actions, like many of the President's decisions on 
immigration, have nothing to do with protecting public safety or 
national security.
  President Trump has also suspended the refugee admissions program. 
Why is that important? Well, because when American soldiers go overseas 
to represent this country and to risk their lives for the country that 
they have sworn allegiance to--the United States--many times they rely 
on local citizens in those countries to help them. That is what 
happened in Afghanistan. Men and women risked their lives to step 
forward and to help our troops, many times to risk their own lives in 
the service of their country and doing it for the United States. They 
included families of Afghans who are now facing persecution for that 
political decision to help the United States.
  We have offered to them, after going through extensive background 
checks, an opportunity to come to the United States. The same thing is 
true with Uighurs fleeing Chinese persecution and the Rohingya fleeing 
Myanmar's military dictatorship. Many of these refugees literally wait 
for decades to come to the United States lawfully--lawfully--and all 
must undergo extreme rigorous vetting before coming.
  But the President canceled flights for approximately 10,000 refugees 
who had been approved to travel to the United States after waiting for 
long periods of time and going through extensive background checks. 
This includes nearly 1,600 Afghans who had been cleared for 
resettlement. Many of them risked their lives for the United States' 
cause, and we were giving them safety and security. Those flights have 
been canceled by President Trump. Many of them fought alongside U.S. 
troops. Others are family members of U.S. servicemembers. Flights were 
even stopped for Afghan children who were reuniting with their families 
in the United States.
  Stopping these flights makes America less safe. It is needlessly 
cruel to American families waiting to be reunited with loved ones. It 
also sends a message to allies supporting our troops around the world 
that we will not protect them if they face retribution for helping the 
United States.
  Additionally, President Trump is attempting to deny birthright 
citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are 
not citizens or lawful permanent residents. This is a clear violation 
of the Constitution.
  I want to read the first sentence of the 14th Amendment to the 
Constitution. It is explicit. It reads:

       All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and 
     subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the 
     United States and of the State wherein they reside.

  One sentence is clear as can be.
  This order has been blocked. The order by President Trump has been 
blocked by a judge who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Listen 
to what he said about the lawsuit challenging birthright citizenship 
and the 14th Amendment's explicit language:

       I've been on the bench for over four decades. I can't 
     remember another case where the question presented is as 
     clear as this one. This is a blatantly unconstitutional 
     order.

  I was disappointed to see White House border czar Tom Homan come to 
Chicago recently with ICE agents, arresting immigrants and asking them 
questions even after they had requested to speak to an attorney. Do you 
know who accompanied him on this raid? Dr. Phil. Dr. Phil--a TV 
doctor--is not an M.D., but for some reason, he was invited to go along 
with this raid.
  Now, do you remember the many speeches given by President Trump, 
during the campaign, about dedicating himself to ferreting out the 
young people who were murderers and rapists and drug dealers and the 
mentally ill who were dangerous to the United States? I took him at his 
word that that is what he set out do.
  Apparently, Dr. Phil is an accomplice in this effort. He, obviously, 
has been invited to go along for the ride--on a raid involving people 
who would be dangerous to the United States? If this mass deportation 
is truly focused on dangerous individuals--murderers, rapists, drug 
dealers, and the mentally ill--Dr. Phil has as much business being on 
these raids as he does performing surgery. Why is he there? In fact, he 
could complicate the situation. We are talking about a legal process 
and the possibility of criminal prosecutions following. So to have this 
television character come along for the ride is dangerous and makes no 
sense.
  I am concerned that these sweeping Executive actions will leave those 
arrested by ICE, including those with lawful status and U.S. 
citizenship, with little opportunity to even state their cases and show 
that they belong in this country.
  Let's be clear: 90 percent of undocumented immigrants have no 
criminal

[[Page S404]]

convictions--90 percent. Immigrants make up more than 40 percent of 
home healthcare aides and children's assistance, daycare. An outsized 
percentage of them and the agricultural workforce are undocumented. 
Immigrants are a key part of America's success story.
  I do not want a single dangerous person to remain in this country or 
to be allowed to seek permanent residence here--period--but there are 
many who have been here for periods of time, who have paid their taxes, 
who have followed the law, and should be part of America's future.
  Our Nation needs immigrants in many important places. Come to my 
State of Illinois and ask the agricultural organizations. They will 
tell you flat out that, without the assistance from migrants and 
immigrants, they just can't do their work. Whether they are running 
dairy operations, orchards, or regular agricultural pursuits, they need 
a helping hand, and many times, the only ones who will come to help 
them are those who come from other countries.
  They put food on our tables, they care for our children, and they 
help care for our parents and grandparents. Many of these people are 
Dreamers who grew up alongside our kids and have gone on to serve our 
Nation as members of the armed services, as doctors, and as first 
responders. They believe in the American dream, and I will continue to 
fight to protect them for as long as I serve in the U.S. Senate.
  There is no room in this country for dangerous people, but there is 
plenty of room for those who aspire to make this a better nation. We 
should be fair in making a distinction and in realizing the difference 
is significant.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.