The following is a press release from the office of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), December 4th:
In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on his Republican colleagues to work with Democrats on comprehensive immigration reform that will help secure America’s border and address our nation’s shortage of workers. During his speech, Durbin condemned Republicans’ attempt to attach punitive border policies to essential national security emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises.
“I’m a person who believes in immigration. My mother was an immigrant to this country, and I’m proud to be in the Senate [as a] first-generation American representing the great state of Illinois. But I understand the overwhelming numbers [that] we are facing at the border, and President Biden is facing—[I would] really argue for us to take a hard look at the way we approach this,” Durbin said. “It’s hard to explain [that] in the United States of America, a nation of immigrants, why immigration is such a hot, controversial topic.”
Durbin noted that the U.S. military is experiencing low levels of recruitment, which have become a grave threat to our national security. Durbin argued in his speech that we are also in desperate need of workers to fill key jobs in industries like health care and agriculture, which can be filled by immigrants.
Do you know what the recruiting numbers are at the Army, Navy, and the Air Force? They can’t reach their quotas each month. They can’t find enough people to join our military forces. And there are those who are undocumented who want the chance to serve and risk their lives for this country. Should we give them a chance? I think we should.
In my state of Illinois, in Chicago, [and] in the rural areas downstate, we’re holding our breath hoping that we can keep hospitals open. You know why? We don’t have enough medical personnel. And yet there are people all around this world who have medical credentials as doctors and nurses and skilled technicians who want to come to the United States, but we don’t give them the chance.
Durbin continued
Durbin also told the story of Mitchell Soto-Rodriguez, a Dreamer, who came to Blue Island, Illinois, at nine-years-old with her family. When Mitchell was in high school, she got into a car accident and the responding police officer made a lasting impression on her by speaking Spanish to make her mother feel more comfortable. From that moment on, Mitchell decided that she wanted to serve her community as a police officer as well. Today, Mitchell is a part-time police officer while she is attending the police academy and working as a security officer at a local high school. However, as a DACA recipient, Mitchell’s future is still in limbo. Until theDream Act is passed, Mitchell’s service to her community and to our nation is at risk.
“But DACA was always intended to be a temporary solution for Dreamers like Mitchell. Since President Obama established the program, Republicans have waged a relentless campaign to overturn it and deport these Dreamers back to countries they may not even remember. The permanent solution is enacting a piece of legislation I first introduced more than twenty years ago: the Dream Act. It would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers all across the country. Without permanent protections, these young people have been forced to live in limbo and in fear that DACA will be overturned in the courts. They have to renew their status every two years—which means they plan their lives in two-year increments,” Durbin continued. “Until the Dream Act is passed, Mitchell’s service to her community and to our nation is at risk—as is the service that so many Dreamers are providing to their communities through their work as teachers, medical professionals, service members, and so much more.”
If DACA is struck down, experts predict that our economy would lose an estimated $11.7 billion each year in lost wages. And without continued immigration, the U.S. working-age population will shrink by over six million by 2040. As more Americans retire, this could contribute to a 23 percent reduction in the monthly Social Security checks that beneficiaries have been promised. With over nine and a half million jobs open last month, our farmers, hospitals, and small business owners desperately need immigrants to meet their workforce needs.
Durbin continued, “To resolve these challenges, we should create additional lawful pathways for immigrants to work in the United States. We should also give our undocumented population—most of whom have been here for decades—legal status, so that they can fully contribute to our society. I am ready to negotiate with my Republican colleagues in good faith to solve our problem at the border. It needs a solution. I readily acknowledge that. But at the same time, I hope they [Republicans] will take a positive approach as well, knowing that we desperately need legal immigration. And if people are clear to come into our country for that purpose, we will be better for it at so many different levels.”
Durbin concluded, “There are some on the other side, I’m going to be very blunt about this, who believe in the theory of ‘not one more immigrant’ in this country. They don’t know the history of the United States. They don’t know what these immigrants have meant to us. In my family and the families across the whole country, you can point to immigrants who made a solid difference in building a family, [and] building an economy, which we all prosper from today. So let’s get it right when it comes to enforcement at the border, but let’s not tell half the story. Let’s tell the other half of the story that legal immigration is critical to our future and people like Mitchell Soto-Rodriguez who is wanting to serve as a police officer in her community in Illinois is an asset to this country, and we need her in our future.”
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
One commentor under Memology 101 had a good point: “A buddy of mine and myself were talking about this maybe 2 years ago about why the government was “housing” illegals, more specifically military age men, on bases in Texas and flying them around to other bases in the US. We concluded it was to make an army the government could fully control against the constitution and without allegiance to America and its own citizens. Here we are.”
[2] Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. [5] Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest. Lamentations 5:2, 5
While this is just a proposal, it takes the typical liberal “we’re all immigrants” approach and puts it on steroids, actually suggesting that we should raise of illegal aliens and put them in our Armed Forces. If this actually were to go through it would truly be a manifest token that all freedoms and liberties of soil-bred Americans have been lost, and have truly become slaves in our own land.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Touche. Oսtstanding arguments. Keep up the amazing effort.
While I’d normally be appalled by this, I must remember that this is God’s ferocious judgement on America.
All the years of destroying and conquering smaller and weaker nations and forcing what is ubiquitously called “democracy” down their throats.
The millions upon millions of innocent precious babies butchered and puréed by abortion and using their tissue to create vaccines (witchcraft at it’s worst stage!)
The millions of children abused and molested, the pornography and sex perversion, that devil’s workshop called Hollywood, that open sewer of a city called Las Vegas, television (television in general period), schools, sports idolatry (AKA bread and circus) and church buildings.
Now, America is going to pay!
Durbin and others are evil. These illegals will be used as an army to slaughter and enslave Americans, mark my words!
Even 50 years ago, I do not think immigrants were all that eager to join the US military, although some did and were able to do so while they were still in Europe. I think the circumstances were very different and people were a little more desperate coming from war-torn countries where everything was pretty much destroyed and prospects were bleak. Although you could not pay me to even travel to countries in South America, I don’t think the situation for these new conquistadores is as bad. Knowing this government, they will place the illegals in military niches where they are less likely to be in combat areas and let American GIs deal with the war zones. It has been done before that I know of for a fact.
Dick Dumbass is stupid is as stupid does, yah, doctors, tech’s and other quality immigrants are coming here illegally, rightah. There is nothing wrong with coming to US legally, if you are undocumented you go back to where ya came from. Our border is not secure.
Yeah, no kidding just look at this video. https://youtu.be/7nrUDw7ByiM?si=v4MfbjLwS2IZCOKv
That video is a treasure trove of truth, Melaney.
China is already invading the U.S., under the guise of “refugees.” They come in on pickup trucks and cheap flights today and it’ll be military aircraft and warships that follow tomorrow.
I understand your anger, but please don’t cuss on this page, David.
It wasn’t meant as cussing, it is what his name should be. I’m sorry, I’ll hold back.
Thanks Andrew
Of course just a reminder
A lot of Venezuelan men crossed the border, and the US is heading into a war with Venezuela.
https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/us-reiterates-support-guyana-venezuela-territorial-dispute
I live in Durbin’s state, so I know what a lunkhead he is and has been for many years in politics. Another one that should’ve retired or not been given more terms in office, but they don’t ever have an age requirement, so they hang around in their senility till they drop dead in office, but at least we got rid of Pelousy by her not staying in office. We don’t have to see her drunken, lying face on a daily basis anymore, but there’s plenty of others that should be on a Greyhound bus to the retirement center, like our wonderful Prez, who should be in his own personal rocking chair.
The mandatory vaccination ran off much of the most qualified in the armed forces. In desperation for the coming war they need to fill the ranks. This is exactly what brought down the Roman army and the British forced fighting in the Colonies.
As with Rome, so too with America.
America’s fall is going to be like the Roman Empire’s collapse and it is oh so well deserved!
The evils that America has committed, if I had to list them, I’d have to write a book…they have provoked God’s fierce anger for so many years, and now the wrath of the Lamb is coming down to smash this country to smithereens!
Pray that God protects us and doesn’t forget about us.