VOA标准英语2009年-US Homeland Security Department Proposes D

By Carolyn Presutti
Washington
06 November 2009

The United States is looking to reform the way it detains illegal immigrants. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to immediately implement¹ some reforms, and is expected to ask Congress to approve alternatives to detention² facilities.

The sun was barely up when Peter Yune looked out the peephole of his house and saw 10 police officers waiting on his doorstep. "They just barged in," Yune says, "pushing me to one side and they told me to stay still."

 
Jong Park
In the aftermath, police took away Yune's wife, Jong Park, for immigration violations³. Yune concedes Park was living in the U.S. illegally after she was denied permanent residency. Government officials say Park was convicted in 2003 for promoting prostitution. And an immigration judge ordered her removed from the United States.

For 24 hours Yune couldn't find his wife in the detention system. He couldn't concentrate on work. Through an attorney, he learned Jong Park was incarcerated⁴, four hours from his house, in Portsmouth, Virginia.

VOA spoke⁵ to Park by phone from inside the jail. We asked how she's doing after a month behind bars.

Park says she is only permitted to step out of her jail cell to eat. And that she is housed with violent criminals.

 
Peter Yune
"My wife is not a criminal," Yune explains, "Sure, she didn't have a green card [residence permit]. For her to overstay, if you want to call that a criminal activity, I can't argue with that."

Immigration advocates say it happens too often. Non-violent detainees placed in criminal jails, where family, friends, and attorneys can't find them.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano wants Congress to reform detention guidelines. "We need to better manage the entirety of our detainee populations," she said.

Secretary Napolitano says nearly 400,000 immigrants were detained last year. Some 32,000 are currently in jail. One alternative under consideration is to use electronic bracelets⁶ to monitor them outside of jail. Another idea, sponsorship by community or church groups. Park's family favors that.

Assistant Secretary John Morton explains how it would work. "You have a trusted, and reputable community organization that's willing to step forward and say we'll ensure this person comes to their hearings and, if they lose, shows up at the airport to be removed," Morton said.

But that doesn't sit well with Dan Stein of FAIR--the Federation⁷ for American Immigration Reform. "We feel they are going to wind up putting aliens [immigrants] in Hilton Hotels, Holiday Inns, and facilities which in a sense create incentives⁸ to remain here, fighting for the right to stay when they have no fundamental case," Stein said.

Stein also worries that alternatives give immigrants the ability to disappear before their court date.

"I won't run away, so I have my family. I think. I'm not some murderer, I'm not some thief," Park said.

In 2005, after weeks in custody⁹, detainee Sandra Kenley died in the same jail as Park. Stein and others say quicker deportation¹⁰ is the answer.

 
Soobin, Park's 14-yar-old daughter
"People come here as guests of this country. If they violate the terms of their status and are ordered deported¹¹, they can go home immediately. No one is in detention on a coercive basis. They can leave this country any time they want," Stein states.

But there's one teenager who's hoping that doesn't happen. Park's daughter, 14 year old Soobin. "Since my mom's gone, everyone feels that. It's kinda hard to replace that around here, so it's really like empty," she said. "It feels empty."

For now, Soobin tries to concentrate on her homework, knowing she can see her mom next week for a 20 minute visit, with a wall between them.

1 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

2 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。

3 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

4 incarcerated   

钳闭的

参考例句：

• They were incarcerated for the duration of the war. 战争期间，他们被关在狱中。 来自辞典例句
• I don't want to worry them by being incarcerated. 我不想让他们知道我被拘禁的事情。 来自电影对白

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 bracelets   

n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The lamplight struck a gleam from her bracelets. 她的手镯在灯光的照射下闪闪发亮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• On display are earrings, necklaces and bracelets made from jade, amber and amethyst. 展出的有用玉石、琥珀和紫水晶做的耳环、项链和手镯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

8 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 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。

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 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》