VOA慢速英语--家庭应该参与移民政策吗？

Should Family Play a Part in Immigration Policy?

Every weekday, Xan-Xia Hong and her husband Ru-Liang Zhang visit the Chinese Community Center near their home in New York City. The two are retired² and in their seventies.

They moved to the United States 28 years ago. They entered the country through the family-immigrant visa system. They still remember how hard it was to get to the U.S.

Hong said, “For the journey, for our whole family, it cost us over 10,000 Chinese yuan.” That amounts to about $2,000 dollars in 1990.

But that money did not guarantee much.

“What were we to do if we couldn’t get the visa? We would lose everything,” Hong said.

The two did not have dependable employment. A family member helped with financial support. They saved their money to pay for the nine-year visa application process for travel to the U.S.

During the following 10 years, Hong worked seven days a week in a clothing factory. Zhang worked similar hours in a restaurant for several years. Then, he inherited a small store. Their work ethic³ helped them put their three children through college.

But, the two say they wonder if similar success might go unnoticed today because of President Donald Trump⁴’s position on immigration.

Their experience would be considered an example of so-called chain immigration. That is a term used by opponents of what is officially known as citizen-sponsored immigrant visas for family members. The administration says the system brings into the country people who do not add to the U.S. economy.

Disagreement over immigration policy

Trump used the term on Twitter last September, “Chain migration¹ cannot be allowed to be part of any legislation on Immigration!” The president has offered support for several pieces of legislation that would limit legal immigration.

Some measures in the bills would cut family-based visas and replace them with what has been described as a “merit-based system. The bills’ stated aim is to reduce the amount of “low-skilled immigrant labor⁵.”

A merit-based system would rate immigrants based on their English-language ability, education level, employment offers and other things.

Supporters say such action would lead to higher pay for American workers. Critics say the U.S. economy depends on low-skilled labor.

Recent public opinion studies suggest that Americans do not agree on what to do to improve the immigration system.

Justin Yu is a former reporter on immigration issues. He now runs the New York Chinese Community Center. He said family-based immigration is not a problem and is very important to U.S.-based families.

“The problem in the American immigration system is not the legal immigrant – it’s not the family-based immigrant, it’s not the merit-based immigrant. The problem…is our border has not been controlled.”

'They didn't ask for handouts⁶'

Many Chinese immigrants share Yu’s opinions. They say that social programs and hard-earned rights are hurt by illegal immigration.

Hong said, “We worked and worked and worked, all the way until we both retired.”

Wellington Chen runs a local development company in New York called Chinatown Partnership⁷. He said immigrants in his neighborhood mostly lead small businesses.

“These people came here, didn’t take away any jobs; if anything, they hired helpers, they put their kids through college, they work long hours, they work the jobs that no one wants to do. And, they didn’t ask for handouts.”

Nicholas Louie is the 23-year-old grandson of Thomas Louie, an immigrant who was sponsored by his own grandfather 60 years ago. The extended family now includes a doctor, a college professor and a math teacher.

Nicolas said he has a difficult time imagining what his life would be like had family immigration been restricted.

“What’s that say about the next generation, when like there’s children asking ‘where’s their grandfather’ … or ‘where’s their uncle?’ Why do they have no family, but everyone else seems to have this wide, extended family?”

Nicolas Louie said his own family is living the American dream.

His relatives, he said, “Just wanted all of us to be good, to make our own money, be satisfied with what we have and retain the family…That’s really important.”

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

inherit –v. to receive (money, property, etc.) from someone when that person dies

ethic –n. rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad

sponsored –adj. supported, given help from a sponsor

merit –n. having good qualities and, therefore, deserving of a reward

retain –v. to keep, to continue to have

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

4 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。

5 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

6 handouts   

救济品( handout的名词复数 )； 施舍物； 印刷品； 讲义

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts. 士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Even after losing his job, he was too proud to accept handouts. 甚至在失去工作后，他仍然很骄傲，不愿接受施舍。

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。