Senator, Illinois Methodist Bishop Sally Dyck, and others reject efforts to exclude all Muslim immigrants
WASHINGTON, DC –(ENEWSPF)–December 8, 2015. Amid statements and inflammatory rhetoric that unfairly vilify billions of Muslims, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate Floor today to call for thoughtfulness and tolerance that reflect the “fundamental values of this country.” Today, Durbin was also joined by Bishop Sally Dyck of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church at a press conference to speak out against inflammatory rhetoric directed at refugees and Muslims.
“I’ve met some of these refugees in the City of Chicago. Some of them waited up to two years after they were being investigated and interviewed and fingerprinted before they could come to the United States. They come here simply to start a new life in a safe place and to raise their children. It really is what motivated people across the span of history to come to this great nation, and these refugees are no different,” Durbin said.
“The fact that the Republicans would start by excluding refugees and now Mr. Trump is taking it to the extreme of excluding people of a religious faith – the Muslim religion – is an indication of a conversation in American politics which needs to stop. We need to reflect once again on the fundamental principles of this question and the fundamental values of this country as well.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate Floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate Floor is available here.
Today, Durbin joined U.S. Senators Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a coalition of national faith leaders from across the religious spectrum, including Bishop Sally Dyck of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church, to call for smart, moral policymaking over reactionary fear-mongering.
Video of Durbin’s remarks is available here.
Video of Bishop Dyck’s remarks is available here.
Durbin recently met with Syrian refugees who have resettled in Chicago, as well as representatives from Chicago’s Syrian community and local relief agencies. Durbin has also called on Governor Bruce Rauner to drop his opposition to resettling Syrian refugees in Illinois and to meet with the Syrian refugee families in the state.
Source: www.durbin.senate.gov
