Sen. Tom Harkin, Durbin Hold Dream Immigration Forum in Response to King's Immigrant Drug Smuggling Comments.

US Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced Wednesday that they would hold an immigration forum 10 a.m. Friday at Ames Middle School in response to “incendiary remarks” that Congressman Steve King made about immigrants in recent weeks.

Durbin is the author of the DREAM Act and one of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” who wrote the current Senate immigration reform bill. He and Harkin hope to encourage support of the Senate immigration proposal at the forum.

King has been critical of the plan and said in a recent Newsmax interview, “For everyone who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds — and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.”

Durbin spoke about against King's remarks in a  recent floor statement: “It troubles me and it is heartbreaking to think that these DREAMers—these young people who are simply asking for a chance to be part of the United States—would be characterized as dope smugglers and drug smugglers,”

“Obviously, Congressman King has never read the DREAM Act because if you have ever been convicted of a crime, you cannot be approved through the DREAM Act for citizenship — not a serious crime. That is part of the law. He should know better, but I am not sure that he cares.

“I am glad Members of his own party have stepped up and branded these comments for what they are. What I have to say to him is, take a moment away from the media, meet some of these DREAMers, and hear their stories. Hear what they have been through, and hear about what they want to do with their lives for the future of the United States of America.”

The forum at Ames Middle School will feature “dreamers” from across Iowa, farmers, students, small business owners and more.