美国国家公共电台 NPR Riding With ICE: 'We're Trying To Do The Right Thing'

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

The Trump¹ administration has been clear - immigrants in the country illegally, quote, "should be afraid." Those were the words of Thomas Homan, the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. And that stance has put his agency on the hot seat. Immigrant advocates say ICE agents are fearmongering, that they're arresting people who only broke the law to come to the U.S. for a better life. The agents say they are misunderstood and that they simply want to enforce the law.

NPR's John Burnett recently embedded² with ICE in Texas. Here's his report.

JOHN BURNETT, BYLINE³: Men with guns in dark ballistic vests swarm⁴ over the parking lot of a seedy apartment complex in Haltom City. Fort Worth police have arrested a man who threatened to burn down his girlfriend's apartment. Along with him, they detained two Mexican nationals suspected of being here illegally, so police call ICE fugitive⁵ operations. Agent Delfino Saldana handcuffs one of the men.

DELFINO SALDANA: ...Medical problems? OK. (Speaking Spanish). We're going to go ahead and take him in - take him into custody⁶. Put him on our vehicle.

BURNETT: He's a forlorn 21-year-old house painter with gang tattoos⁷. Officer King Cross runs his fingerprints⁸.

KING CROSS: He's got no criminal history in the U.S.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: OK, no criminal history in the U.S.

CROSS: ...And no prior immigration contact.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: OK.

CROSS: But he is a confirmed gang member, said it when he was younger.

BURNETT: So his is a - it's a non-criminal arrest.

CROSS: That's correct. Basically, he's from Guanajuato. He paid a coyote to cross him across the border. He's been here a couple years.

(SOUNDBITE OF RADIO BEEPING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: Hey, Chuck, what address are you out in front of?

BURNETT: Chuck Winner, a supervisory detention⁹ and deportation¹⁰ officer, is driving a white government-issue Expedition back to Dallas after the bust¹¹. Under President Obama, he would go after serious felons¹² and recent arrivals, not these two men in the parking lot - one with no criminal record and the other charged with re-entry after deportation.

CHUCK WINNER: We would have had to have let them go because they did not meet our enforcement priorities at the time.

BURNETT: And would that have been frustrating¹³?

WINNER: Very.

BURNETT: Under Trump, ICE agents are told to arrest anyone in the country illegally. ICE's Dallas area of operations is the busiest in the nation. It covers nearly half of Texas and all of Oklahoma. In the first four months of 2017, arrests of all unauthorized immigrants has nearly doubled to almost 5,000, compared to the same period last year. Most had criminal records. But ICE arrests of non-criminals have increased more sharply across the country. In Dallas, they've tripled to more than 800 in the first four months.

WINNER: In the days past, if we encountered someone in the house that was not a priority, we would just let that person, you know, walk. Now, we would - if we encounter someone in the house that is illegal in the country, in violation¹⁴ of the law, we will go ahead and arrest that person.

BURNETT: Riding in the back seat is Simona Flores, the director of the Dallas ICE field office.

SIMONA FLORES: I would say that the morale¹⁵ has gone up. There's a sense of, OK, I don't need my boss's permission for every decision I make.

BURNETT: ICE operations have stoked outrage¹⁶, like the arrests in March when agents apprehended¹⁷ 26 unauthorized immigrants reporting for court-ordered community service in Fort Worth. Some observers thought the roundup was mean-spirited. But Flores says they had drunk-driving and drug convictions.

FLORES: We're not apologizing for what we're doing. We're trying to do the right thing.

BURNETT: Immigrant advocates say the dragnet is cast too wide. They say immigrants who pose no threat to the community are being swept up along with dangerous criminals. Michelle Garza Pareja is a pro-bono attorney in Dallas with an immigrant rights group called RAICES

MICHELLE GARZA PAREJA: What I do think they're doing is really instilling¹⁸ this sense of fear within our community. And I think that has disastrous¹⁹ effects.

BURNETT: Back in her office, Simona Flores says, over her 30-year career, she's always used discretion²⁰. They might not detain a single mother, for example, if she's the sole provider for her children. Flores says her decisions are informed by her own difficult upbringing in San Antonio.

FLORES: I know what poverty's like. I know what hunger's like. I know what physical abuse is like in the household. But I also know what love is like. And I know that personally, professionally, I want this world to be a better place.

BURNETT: She takes a moment to compose herself, then continues.

FLORES: We listen to every case by case, when it's brought to our attention, that might need special attention.

BURNETT: NPR rode along with fugitive operations for two days. In that time, agents spent most of their time sitting in unmarked SUVs parked in working-class, Hispanic neighborhoods, drinking coffee and watching houses.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: Do we have eyes on the individual coming out?

(SOUNDBITE OF RADIO BEEPING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #4: She looks like a female.

(SOUNDBITE OF RADIO BEEPING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #5: You see that?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #4: She just walked back in.

BURNETT: Years past, ICE agents used to knock on doors and ask their targets to come out. But Chuck Winner says that tactic²¹ is not effective anymore.

WINNER: Lately, they don't even open the door for us.

BURNETT: Today, immigrant communities are savvier. They spread the word on social media - if ICE knocks, even if they have a warrant, don't open the door.

WINNER: Now, we end up having to sit on - and do surveillance a lot more. So making - it definitely makes it a little bit tougher.

BURNETT: The officers of fugitive ops say this is how they make most arrests. They don't do random²², indiscriminate sweeps. Deportation Officer Gerry Hutt says they go after specific targets.

GERRY HUTT: We have a lead on someone that's in the country illegally or is a criminal alien that's been convicted of a crime and is in this country. We target that person for arrest. We don't go set up checkpoints on the highway. We don't do mass raids at employers. We don't do that.

BURNETT: On the two-day ride-along, the team selected eight targets. They included a Mexican found guilty of driving while intoxicated²³, a Salvadoran who'd been deported²⁴ three times, a Bangladeshi mortgage broker²⁵ convicted of a sex crime and Antonio Jimenez.

ANTONIO JIMENEZ: I mean, I know I had felonies. And I know that that could happen.

BURNETT: Jimenez has convictions for burglary and heroin²⁶ possession and was wanted for parole violation, which means he also would have been a target under Obama's ICE. His parents brought him here illegally when he was 2. The heavyset, whiskered 21-year-old sits on a metal bench inside the ICE processing center, considering his change of fortunes.

JIMENEZ: I'm not even worried. I mean, I know where I'm going, so - I mean, as long as my wife's OK, my son's OK, I'm good, you know?

BURNETT: A couple of hours earlier, ICE cuffed²⁷ him and led him out of his house, as he told his wife and his infant son goodbye. But he doesn't blame agents.

JIMENEZ: Oh, no. They did their job, you know? I mean, they weren't mean. They weren't, like, you know, rude or nothing. So I can't - why would I get mad at them?

BURNETT: When his deportation case is complete, agents will escort Antonio Jimenez to the middle of the international bridge in Laredo. And he will walk to Nuevo Laredo to start his new life. On that same morning back in Dallas, ICE fugitive operations will select four new targets. John Burnett, NPR News, Dallas.

(SOUNDBITE OF WAX TAILOR (FEAT. IDIL) SONG, "FOR THE WORST")

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

5 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

6 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

7 tattoos   

n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的胳膊上刺满了花纹。
• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的双臂刺满了纹身。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 fingerprints   

n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。
• They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

10 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

11 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

12 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网

13 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

15 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

16 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

17 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

18 instilling   

v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instil的现在分词 )；逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Make sure your subordinates understand your sense of urgency and work toward instilling this in allsubordinates. 确保你的下属同样具备判断紧急事件的意识，在工作中潜移默化地灌输给他们。 来自互联网

19 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

20 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

21 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

22 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

23 intoxicated   

喝醉的，极其兴奋的

参考例句：

• She was intoxicated with success. 她为成功所陶醉。
• They became deeply intoxicated and totally disoriented. 他们酩酊大醉，东南西北全然不辨。

24 deported   

v.将…驱逐出境( deport的过去式和过去分词 )；举止

参考例句：

• They stripped me of my citizenship and deported me. 他们剥夺我的公民资格，将我驱逐出境。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The convicts were deported to a deserted island. 罪犯们被流放到一个荒岛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

26 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

27 cuffed   

v.掌打，拳打( cuff的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She cuffed the boy on the side of the head. 她向这男孩的头上轻轻打了一巴掌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mother cuffed the dog when she found it asleep on a chair. 妈妈发现狗睡在椅子上就用手把狗打跑了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》