WASHINGTON, D.C. — Comments on Sunday from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) represent an endorsement of a bipartisan process to work toward immigration reforms that vast majorities of Americans support.
Quoted in Politico, Durbin, a longtime champion of Dreamers and other immigrants, said that he was focused on building consensus to pass needed immigration reforms: “The question is: is there anything we can do on the subject of immigration that can win 60 votes in the Senate? We’re going to test that.”
Such an approach has strong support among Americans, according to recent polling in which 79% of Americans — including 76% of Republicans — support Republicans and Democrats “working together on immigration reforms that strengthen border security, create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, and ensure a legal, reliable workforce for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
Now is a particularly critical moment for consensus: The U.S. faces economic challenges and labor shortages amid a pandemic recovery; DACA recipients (and their employers) continue to face an uncertain future; and challenges at the border demand more orderly, humane solutions.
The Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus, a group of 30 faith, business, education, national security and advocacy organizations, launched this month to push for reforms that address these priorities.
“Bipartisan bridges are difficult to build, but Senator Durbin’s comments break critical ground,” said Ali Noorani, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. “Americans who depend on Dreamers, farmworkers and Temporary Protected Status recipients need solutions, and we need better processes at our borders. A conversation among Republicans and Democrats is a good start.”