Illinois Leaders Reflect On 14th Anniversary Of DACA

Durbin Reflects On 14th Anniversary Of DACA, Calls On Congress To Finally Provide A Pathway To Citizenship For Dreamers

In 2010, Durbin sent a bipartisan letter asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers—fourteen years ago today, President Obama responded by announcing the DACA program.

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and lead author of the Dream Act, reflected on the 14th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and called on Congress to finally provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers.

Twenty-five years ago, Durbin first introduced the Dream Act—bipartisan legislation that would give undocumented immigrants who grew up in this country a chance to become American citizens. In 2010, after years of congressional inaction, Durbin sent a letter, joined by the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), asking then-President Obama to stop the deportation of Dreamers. Fourteen years ago today, President Obama responded by announcing the DACA program. More than 835,000 Dreamers have since come forward and received DACA, which has allowed them to contribute more fully to their country as teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and small business owners.

“These young people grew up in America alongside our own kids. This is the only place they have ever called home. DACA recipients, with the peace of mind that they could go to work, have started families with 37 percent having U.S. citizen children. 935,000 U.S. citizens live with DACA holders,” Durbin said. “This program, created because of a letter that Senator Lugar and I sent to President Obama, has reached out and touched the lives of millions of young Americans. DACA recipients pay their taxes. They contribute nearly $16 billion a year to the U.S. economy.”

During his speech, Durbin told the story of Diana Perez. Her story is the 152nd Dreamer story Durbin has shared on the Senate floor.

Born in Mexico City, Diana was brought to this country when she was only seven years old. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Before Diana obtained DACA, her academic advisor laid out the barriers she’d face, questioning how she would support herself and how she’d be able to afford her education. But Diana was determined—she cleaned houses and served coffee to pay her tuition and cover the cost of books. She was so passionate about her education, and it being the key to her success, that she confronted every barrier head-on.

Ultimately, Diana graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in media and communications from Northeastern Illinois University. Her experiences in college and graduate school inspired her to fight for the rights of others and combat discrimination. Diana now serves as the Community Engagement Director for the City of Chicago’s Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which is chaired by Alderperson Andre Vasquez of the 40th Ward. Since joining the Committee, Diana has collaborated with community partners, non-profits, and government officials, and she has advocated on behalf of the great people of Chicago.

“I met Diana here in the Capitol in April. She and her colleagues with the Chicago Latino Caucus Foundation [Leadership Academy] traveled to Washington, D.C. Diana explained to me that DACA changed her life,” Durbin said. “It provided her with the opportunity to pursue the career that she is so passionate about. Her goal is to work in federal government someday—and wouldn’t we all be lucky to have her representing us.”

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Despite multiple court challenges, DACA is still in place, and the Trump Administration is under court order to process DACA renewal and work permit applications. Nevertheless, under President Trump, DHS is frequently slow walking DACA renewals until applicants’ DACA expires, at which point ICE is arresting and deporting them. In Illinois alone, Durbin’s office was working on 92 DACA constituent cases as of May 2026. This month, that number has climbed to 145—over a 50-percent increase.

“We all know that Donald Trump attempted to eliminate DACA in his first term, and now, his Administration is stripping many of the Dreamers of their lawful presence and deporting them from the country they grew up in,” Durbin said. “This slow-walking of renewals has resulted in many Dreamers—individuals who are following every rule—to lose their DACA protections, lose their jobs, and risk deportation through no fault of their own.”

Durbin continued, “Additionally, the Justice Department’s Board of Immigration Appeals, which has been totally politicized by this Administration, recently issued a controversial decision holding that DACA will no longer necessarily protect Dreamers from deportation. When President Obama created DACA 14 years ago, some Dreamers and their families expressed concern… Why would we possibly give all of our personal information about our family to protect our daughter under DACA, if that information can be used against our family in later years and deport people in our family? Why should we cooperate? Why should we come out of the shadows? Well, many of us said to them, just follow the law… You will be fine. We were wrong. The information these families turned over for DACA applications is now being used to seek them out, detain them, arrest them, and deport them. What a heartbreak.”

Durbin concluded by calling on his colleagues to finally provide Dreamers a pathway to citizenship by passing the Dream Act.

“After years of waiting, I think it is long overdue for Congress to honor the Dreamers’ patience and persistence, act on our own promises, and provide them with a pathway to citizenship. Only Congress can give Dreamers the stability they crave and deserve. The time to pass the Dream Act is now. To the Dreamers watching, I say: I’m not going to give up on you. Don’t give up on me and don’t give up on this Congress. We can do the right thing. I’m going to continue to fight for the Dreamers and continue to fight for DACA,” Durbin said. “In the face of this Administration’s actions, Congress must finally act to protect these young people who know no other home than here. This is a matter of simple American fairness and justice.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

The Dream Act was also included in the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform bill that Durbin coauthored as part of the “Gang of Eight”—made up of four Democrats and four Republicans. The 2013 bill passed the Senate on a strong bipartisan vote of 68-32, but the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives refused to consider it. Over the years, Senate Republicans have filibustered the Dream Act at least five times.

Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Statement on the 14th Anniversary of DACA

SPRINGFIELD — Today, on the fourteenth anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez released the following statement:

“As someone who has worked twenty years in the Illinois General Assembly to uplift immigrant communities, I understand the importance of DACA. It has helped Dreamers come out of the shadows. It’s allowed community organizers, entrepreneurs and first responders to continue to serve our state. But because of Republicans’ far-right deportation agenda, DACA recipients have more anxiety than ever–scared of being targeted and harassed–despite contributing more good to this state than this current White House. From Senator Dick Durbin, to Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, to Congressman Chuy García, Illinois Democrats will continue to fight for protections and a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients.”

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