Accountability record
See what they have said and done—and where the information comes from.
Richard J. Durbin
IL · U.S. Senate
Pair enforcement with legalization and a better visa system
SupportsDurbin has supported pairing immigration enforcement with legalization and visa reform, including a conditional path to citizenship.
This position is supported by statements from 2013, 2014, and March 2026.
Sources for this position
Investigate ICE and require stronger oversight
SupportsDurbin has supported stronger oversight, transparency, and independent investigations of ICE enforcement.
The cited statements call for body cameras, visible identification, accountability, independent investigations, and enforcement data.
Reduce ICE detention and use alternatives when people are not dangerous
SupportsDurbin has supported reducing detention and using alternatives for people who do not present a safety or flight risk, including children and families.
The position is conditional and does not oppose every form of immigration detention.
Stop militarized ICE raids and arrests at sensitive places
SupportsDurbin has supported stopping militarized raids and arrests at sensitive places, including schools and child-care settings.
The cited statements criticize roving patrols, random arrests, military-style raids, excessive force, and enforcement affecting children; they do not establish opposition to all immigration enforcement.
Keep ICE focused on serious crimes and security threats
SupportsDurbin has supported keeping ICE focused on serious crimes and security threats rather than indiscriminate enforcement.
This position is supported by statements from June 2025 and February and March 2026, while the June 2025 statement was specific to arrests at a Chicago supervision-program site.
Sources for this position
Protect asylum seekers, humanitarian status holders, and mixed-status families
SupportsDurbin has supported protections for asylum seekers, humanitarian-status holders, refugees, children, and mixed-status families.
The cited statements focus on family stability, children, valid humanitarian claims, and refugee-admission exceptions; they do not establish a position on detention or deportation generally.
Require due process before ICE detention or deportation
SupportsDurbin has supported due process before detention or deportation, including court access and limits on warrantless or rushed removals.
The cited evidence emphasizes judicial warrants, legal representation, constitutional protections, and avoiding removal while claims or hearings are pending; it does not establish opposition to every deportation.
Sources for this position
Enforce immigration law at worksites and hold employers accountable
SupportsDurbin has supported employer accountability and worksite enforcement through employee verification and penalties for employers that continue employing undocumented immigrants.
This position is based on a comprehensive immigration proposal described in April 2014 and does not establish support for unrestricted worksite enforcement.
Expand ICE detention and deport more people who are in the U.S. unlawfully
OpposesDurbin has opposed expanding ICE enforcement to support mass deportation and targeting people without criminal records.
The cited June 2026 statement addresses specific funding legislation and its mass-deportation campaign; it does not establish opposition to every immigration removal.
Deport everyone who is in the U.S. unlawfully
OpposesDurbin has opposed deporting everyone solely because they lack lawful status.
Supported by statements from January 2013 and June 2026; these statements do not establish opposition to every immigration removal.
This answer uses the specific statements and actions below. We consider what each bill or vote actually did; a bill number by itself is not treated as a position.
What they said
“$70 billion to support the President's mass deportation campaign that has terrorized communities in Illinois and across the country and targeted immigrants without a criminal record.”
Read the full statement (opens in a new tab)“The American people support orderly immigration enforcement that removes violent criminals from our streets.”
Read the full statement (opens in a new tab)We checked 27 of 27 bills Modern Action tracks on this subject.
Full record
Open the timeline for dated statements, speeches, votes, sponsorships, and source links.
Records with confirmed dates appear newest first. Records without a confirmed date follow.
Durbin statement on republicans jamming through 70 billion in ice cbp funding
“$70 billion to support the President's mass deportation campaign that has terrorized communities in Illinois and across the country and targeted immigrants without a criminal record.”
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.J.Res. 99 · A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relating to "Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents".
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted NO in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted NO in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted against passing the full bill.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This was the final vote on the full bill. It shows how the official voted, not why or how they viewed each part of it.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted NO in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted YES in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Voted NO in a procedural vote.
S.Con.Res. 33 · A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2026 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2027 through 2035.
This shows how the official voted on this decision. It does not show why they voted that way or prove their position on every part of the bill.
Congressional hearing record
Congressional activity recorded in an official government source.
“And we must pass a path to citizenship-something I've worked on for more than two decades-to give stability to families and communities.”
Congressional hearing record
Congressional activity recorded in an official government source.
“Democrats believe that Congress must do its job and rein in ICE abuses by requiring immigration agents to simply follow the same rules as local police.”
Durbin lays out senate democrats demands to rein in ice
“The American people support orderly immigration enforcement that removes violent criminals from our streets.”
Joined the bill as an original cosponsor. The available information does not show which policy the bill supported at that time.
S.J.Res. 99 · A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relating to "Removal of the Automatic Extension of Employment Authorization Documents".
Durbin statement on ice detaining several people at an immigration supervision program site in chicago
“Individuals with no record of dangerous crime are being rounded up at great expense and removed even when they are awaiting a court hearing.”
Durbin amps up oversight of trump administrations immigration detention expansion
“This Administration’s efforts to effectuate a mass deportation scheme by expanding immigration detention to military installations is ill-conceived and a colossal waste of resources.”
Durbin leads letter to president biden urging against the use of family detention
“For those who do not pose a threat to our communities or flight risk, alternatives to detention have proven far more humane and cost-effective than detention.”
Durbin to tech giants uphold your commitment to comprehensive immigration reform
“It would strengthen border security by deploying better technology and focusing on the most serious security threats; require employers to verify that all employees are legal, and penalize any employer that continues to employ undocumented immigrants; reform our legal immigration system to strengthen our economy and our families and protect American workers; and create a tough but fair path to…”
Durbin bipartisan group of senators unveil immigration reform principles
“We will be a better country if those who are here illegally become legal taxpayers, pay their fair share and work towards citizenship in the future.”
CREC 2026 06 08 pt1 PgS2660 10
“We urge you to consider additional refugees for exceptions to the ban on refugee admission under Executive Order 14163.”
