Durbin touts BRIDGE Act to protect young people from deportation

Posted on January 13, 2017
Dick Durbin
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is concerned that President-elect Trump could reverse many of President Obama’s executive orders – including the one which prevents children of illegal immigrants from being deported. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Dick Durbin)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has reached across the aisle for an ally in his effort to protect undocumented young people brought to the United States as children from deportation.

“In the BRIDGE Act which has bipartisan sponsorship, would say that even if we eliminated President Obama’s executive order we would protect these young people from deportation and and allow them to continue to work and study,” Durbin said.

Durbin fears the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program could be discontinued under the Trump Administration. The BRIDGE Act would provide temporary relief from deportation and work authorization to undocumented youth.

Durbin hopes a conversation starts soon on the greater issue.

“We believe this is a reasonable way to extend this protection and to say to Congress in the meantime ‘Get to work, roll up your sleeve, pass a comprehensive immigration bill,’ ” Durbin said.

Companion legislation has been filed in the US House with Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez as a co-sponsor.

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