Durbin: President Should Bypass Congress on Immigration

John Gregory -- Illinois Radio Network

With no action on the problem of Central American children turning up at the U.S. border likely to come from Congress, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)  says it’s up to the president to act on his own.

Durbin is calling on President Obama to act through executive order to make sure the kids have adequate legal representation, rather than fast track deportation proceedings.  He says the calls to turn away large groups of immigrants are nothing new in the history of the United States.

“Voices of hatred, voices of division, voices that tell us we should not embrace the diversity of this country, that we shouldn’t show the sense of caring and compassion for those less fortunate that come to our shores and borders,” Durbin said.  “We’re being tested again, and I know we can pass that test.”

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives did pass a bill to speed up deportations just before the August recess.  Durbin calls that vote “a sad moment.”