With a mix of students, faculty and community members filling the room, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin stood at the front of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute on Tuesday, March 31 taking questions as elections, global conflict and immigration quickly took center stage.
Durbin raised concerns about election integrity, U.S. involvement in global conflicts and immigration policies during his visit to Southern Illinois University, pointing to issues that he said directly impact college students.
John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, introduced Durbin, highlighting his long career in public service and his connection to the late Sen. Paul Simon. Durbin is amid his final year in the U.S. senate, and will vacate his seat — and position as the Democratic Whip — come November.
Shaw said Durbin’s visits to Carbondale have been a consistent part of his 29 years in office.
“It’s always a pleasure when he comes back to the Paul Simon Institute,” Shaw said. “It’s always a terrific moment.”
Speaking to a packed audience, Durbin focused less on formal remarks and more on answering questions, often circling back to how decisions made in Washington affect young people.
When asked what students should be paying attention to right now, Durbin pointed to the upcoming November election, specifically concerns about voting access.
“The November election and the efforts to make it more difficult for people to vote,” he said.
He pointed to broader concerns about election interference and efforts to influence upcoming midterms, including proposed changes to district maps and voting access that could affect who is able to participate.
When asked about young voters, Durbin said they are not always fully represented in Washington, but emphasized that engagement from students themselves is key.
“They can always be better represented,” he said. “I encourage them to meet the candidates and to ask them the hard questions.”
Throughout the event, Durbin returned to the idea that students have a role in shaping what happens next, especially during a time when political decisions feel more immediate.
Durbin also raised concerns about immigration policies, particularly how they are affecting international students.
“For many of the college students from foreign countries, it’s personal,” he said. “They’re facing deportation and uncertainty as to their status in the United States now and their future.”
That uncertainty, he said, is something many students are dealing with in real time.
On a broader level, Durbin criticized what he described as a lack of congressional oversight when it comes to the war in Iran, saying lawmakers have not been as involved as they should be.
“We have yet to have one public hearing about this war in Washington,” he said. “That should be our priority.”
Earlier in the discussion, Durbin expanded on that concern, pointing to recent military action taken without congressional approval and warning about the long-term consequences of entering conflicts without clear planning.
Later, reflecting on his own path into politics, Durbin spoke about Simon’s influence.
“You’re lucky if you can find someone who is a mentor … who cares about you personally,” Durbin said.
He said Simon encouraged him to keep going even after multiple losses, something that ultimately shaped his career.
As the event wrapped up, Durbin’s message to the audience stayed consistent — stay informed, stay involved and don’t hesitate to speak up.
“Ask the hard questions,” he said.
Staff reporter Tay Acree can be reached at [email protected].
