2006年VOA标准英语-Immigration Dominates Mexico-US-Canada Sum

By Scott Stearns
White House
31 March 2006
 

President Bush, center, and Mexican President Vicente Fox, left, greet unidentified Canadian business leaders before the start of a U.S.-Canada-Mexico meeting in Cancun  
  
How to deal with the troublesome issue of immigration has dominated daylong talks among the leaders of the United States, Mexico and Canada Friday. The trilateral summit at the Mexican resort of Cancun once again focused attention on the movement of people across the United States' southern and northern land borders.

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For those crossing the southern U.S. border from Mexico, President Bush is backing legislation to create a temporary program for Mexican workers.

"An important part of securing the border and enforcing our laws is to recognize there are people in our country doing work that Americans will not do, and those people ought to be given the chance to have a tamper-proof card that enables them to work in our country legally for a period of time," said Mr. Bush.

Mexican President Vicente Fox also supports the guest worker program, saying it is part of a regional security and prosperity initiative. Six million Mexicans make up more than half of the illegal-alien population in the United States. The money they send home is an important part of the Mexican economy.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee this week approved a temporary worker program that would also offer permanent residency and U.S. citizenship¹ for some. That has brought opposition² from members of President Bush's own Republican Party, who feel it is a form of amnesty for people who entered the country illegally.

 
President Bush (l) and Mexican President Vicente Fox
  
Speaking at the close of their two-day summit, President Bush said illegal immigrants would not be given preference over legal immigrants waiting for citizenship. He says he looks forward to working with Congress to bring people out of the shadows, and put out of business the criminals who exploit foreigners desperate to enter the United States.

"A nation of laws can also be a welcoming nation, and I believe a guest worker program will help us rid the society on the border of these coyotes [human smugglers] who smuggle³ people in the back of 18-wheelers," added Mr. Bush.  "I believe it will help get rid of the document-forgers. I believe it will help people on both sides of the border respect the laws of our border and enforce our borders."

For those crossing the northern border with Canada, President Bush intends to enforce laws requiring passports, or a new identity card by the end of next year. If properly implemented⁴, he says, it will boost trade and travel between the neighbors.
 

President Bush, left, Canadian Prime Minister  
  
"Envision a card that can be swiped across a reading device that facilitates the movement of people. Look, I understand this issue has created consternation," explained Mr. Bush.  "Your prime minister made it very clear to me that he is very worried that such an implementation⁵ of laws on the books will make it less likely people will want to travel between our countries."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he understands the need for secure borders, but questions the effect the identity provisions will have on commerce.

"We are obviously concerned that, if we do not move quickly and properly on this, that this could have effects on trade and movement of people, conventions, you name it, that it is not helpful to our economy, or our relationships," said Mr. Bush.

Prime Minister Harper says resolving the issue will be a top priority for security officials from both countries. President Bush says his administration has an obligation to work closely with Canadian officials to establish a set of standards.

Following the summit, President Bush spends the weekend at his Texas ranch⁶ before returning to Washington and the debate over the Senate immigration bill.

That measure must pass the full Senate before being reconciled with a stricter House bill that makes it a felony to be in the country illegally, and stiffens⁷ penalties for employers who hire illegal aliens.

1 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 smuggle   

vt.私运；vi.走私

参考例句：

• Friends managed to smuggle him secretly out of the country.朋友们想方设法将他秘密送出国了。
• She has managed to smuggle out the antiques without getting caught.她成功将古董走私出境，没有被逮捕。

4 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

5 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

6 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

7 stiffens   

（使）变硬，（使）强硬( stiffen的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Heating the foam stiffens it and forms it. 暖气泡沫stiffens它和形式。
• He stiffens in momentary panic. 他心里一阵惊慌，浑身不自在起来。