美国国家公共电台 NPR--El Paso is dealing with a surge of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border

El Paso is dealing¹ with a surge² of migrants crossing the southern U.S. border

Transcript³

NPR's A Martinez speaks with Tommy Gonzalez, the city manager of El Paso, Texas, where the mayor recently declared a state of emergency over an influx⁴ of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Right now, the city of El Paso is the focal point for a surge of migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, and it could soon double or triple⁵ in size if the public health order known as Title 42, issued at the start of the pandemic, is allowed to expire⁶ on Wednesday. El Paso's mayor declared a state of emergency over the weekend, but officials there say they need more support from the federal government. Tommy Gonzalez is one of those officials. He's El Paso city manager. I asked him yesterday to describe how it's all unfolding there.

TOMMY GONZALEZ: Well, the numbers are pretty large. And what we've been doing is as they get processed by CBP, they are brought to bus stations, and they're brought to the airport. And we send out roving teams to work with them to get them the transportation that they need. Some are waiting for their family members or their friends because they don't all get processed at the same time. So it's a variety of things. And so we do have a large number of migrants, and so we have had some on the street. And so we are very aware of that and very cognizant to ensure that we work as vigorously⁷ as possible to give them options so that they are out of the streets because it's very cold right now.

MART?NEZ: Title 42 is expected to lift on Wednesday. How much of what you're doing now is getting ready for Wednesday or the possibility of what will happen after Wednesday?

GONZALEZ: What we've been doing is really pressing our local state and federal officials that we just need more resources. I know that this issue is very sensitive, you know, on a lot of different fronts. But we were just focusing on the fact that we need more resources because when Title 42 does lift, we need to have the means for food, processing and being able to shelter and/or have holding areas in order for us to then get them to buses, if that's going to be their mode of transportation, or getting them to the airport. We have asked the federal government - to all the federal officials that we've spoken to, especially the appointed officials - that if they could open up federal facilities like Fort⁸ Bliss⁹ - I mean, this is no different, we told them, than - in terms of numbers - than the Afghani situation that happened not too long ago. And Fort Bliss was opened up for that because we're talking about thousands upon thousands of people that are crossing daily now.

MART?NEZ: How close are you to just turning your eyes to Washington and say, look, we can't handle any more.

GONZALEZ: We're not going to give up on what we're doing. However, we have been saying how important it is to have these resources lined up because the numbers are increasing daily. And as far as telling them what we need, we've been communicating what we need, and we've been doing it through the proper channels. We don't want to get involved in the chatter¹⁰, if you will, or the noise. The thing is, we have work to do, and it's not going to change, you know. Unless a lot of policy changes happen, these numbers are not going to go away. It's only going to get larger.

MART?NEZ: Meanwhile, while all this is happening, Tommy, you also have to take care of the 670,000 residents of El Paso. What have you been hearing from the citizens of El Paso in terms of just dealing with what you're dealing with and also just running the city day to day?

GONZALEZ: Well, we have a very compassionate¹¹ community. However, we have heard concerns from a variety of fronts. And in terms of security, where there's been reports where we've had migrants that are crossing that are going into neighborhoods and things like that because they're not crossing through the normal process. And so they're just - really just - it's all over. It's getting to where it's going to other parts of the city. Anytime you have a large number of people, no matter what they are, you know, whether it's me, you, Black, white, brown, purple, or in this case, migrants, you have a large influx of people, people are going to be concerned about - for their security.

MART?NEZ: That's Tommy Gonzales, city manager of El Paso, Texas. Tommy, thanks a lot.

GONZALEZ: Absolutely.

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 surge   

n.汹涌，澎湃；vi.汹涌，强烈感到，飞涨；vt.放开，松手

参考例句：

• The surge travelled southwards along the coast.浪涛沿着海岸向南涌去。
• It failed to stimulate a surge of investment in industry.这没有能刺激工业投资的激增。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

5 triple   

n.三倍之数，三个一组；adj.三倍的

参考例句：

• Twelve is the triple of four.十二是四的三倍数。
• He received triple wages for all his extra work.由于额外的工作他领取了三倍的工资。

6 expire   

vi.期满，（期限）终止，断气，死亡

参考例句：

• His term of office as president will expire next year.他的总统任期明年将届满。
• When does your trade agreement with Japan expire?你们同日本签订的贸易协定何时期满？

7 vigorously   

ad.用力地；有力地；剧烈地

参考例句：

• He rubbed his limbs vigorously to get the blood circulating. 他用力摩擦四肢让血液循环开来。
• He shook the blankets vigorously to get rid of the dust. 他使劲抖动毯子以抖掉尘土。

8 fort   

n.要塞，堡垒，碉堡

参考例句：

• The fort can not be defended against an air attack.这座要塞遭到空袭时无法防御。
• No one can get into the fort without a pass.没有通行证，任何人不得进入要塞。

9 bliss   

n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福

参考例句：

• It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
• He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

10 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

11 compassionate   

adj.有同情心的，表示同情的

参考例句：

• She is a compassionate person.她是一个有同情心的人。
• The compassionate judge gave the young offender a light sentence.慈悲的法官从轻判处了那个年轻罪犯。