VOA标准英语2010-US Immigration Reform Legislation on Hold

Immigration reform advocates march in Washington DC

As the U.S. Congress moves beyond the issue of health care, some lawmakers are pushing for an overhaul¹ of the nation's immigration system. At the heart of the debate is a proposal to give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants living in the United States. The issue engenders² strong feelings from both sides and recently tens of thousands of supporters of reform marched in Washington.

Walter Castro who marched in Washington recently came to the United States from El Salvador when he was seven years old. He joined many lending support to President Obama who supports immigration reform. Castro says there should be a legal path to citizenship³ for the estimated 11 to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

 

"What I do want to see happen is that they get legalized, even if they have to pay back taxes and that they also have to pay penalty fees," said Castro.

Passage of immigration legislation remains⁴ in doubt because of strong opposition⁵ by mostly Republican lawmakers.

"We do not need to be importing a massive poverty stricken, poorly educated welfare class," said Dan Stein, President of the Federation⁶ for American Immigration Reform.  He strongly opposes any measure that grants amnesty for illegal immigrants.

"Nobody should be talking about an amnesty program for two reasons. One, it encourages more people to come illegally. Two, it discourages people who might have gone back to their homeland from doing so," added Stein.

While Yessenia Saucedo is a citizen, her mother is not and could face deportation⁷ to her native Mexico.  Yessenia wants lawmakers to fulfill⁸ years of promises to change the law.

"The only opportunity is now," said Saucedo.  "We can't wait until later because families are going to get separated, people are going to get deported⁹ and that's not fair."

Recent studies indicate the flow of illegal immigrants coming from Mexico to the U.S. has slowed slightly. Analyst¹⁰ say it's due in part to the economic downturn, tougher border enforcement and an increase in workplace raids by police looking for illegal immigrants. But Immigration reform advocates maintain a legal path to citizenship for undocumented workers will help boost the U.S. economy. Eliseo Medina, is vice¹¹ president of Service Employees International Union, the largest U.S. labor¹² union of immigrant workers.

"It is estimated that if we legalize the estimated 11 or 12 million [illegal immigrants] that they will lead to a growth in our [US] economy of $1.5 trillion and that is something that is good for everybody," noted¹³ Medina.

Janet Kephart with the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington disagrees. She says granting amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants will make it harder for Americans to find jobs.

"If you granted amnesty to 11 million undocumented workers you are flooding the market with the potential of those folks competing for jobs with Americans. Folks who have broken the law, worked here illegally, probably a lot of them, and now seek to compete equally with Americans for jobs," said Kephart.

Three years ago efforts to overhaul immigration failed, despite massive protest rallies across the country by immigrant-rights groups.  But last month, two senators, presented a plan that calls for illegal immigrants to pay back taxes and perform community service in order to gain legal status. It also calls for admitting temporary workers into the country in line with the demands of the economy.  Democratic Congressman¹⁴ Charles Gonzalez from Texas says he's optimistic a reform bill can pass this year. 

"I don't want to get people's hopes up and they get so profoundly disappointed it is going to be tough, but nothing is impossible," said Gonzalez.

Political analysts¹⁵ say they doubt an immigration reform bill will be passed this year with congressional elections in November. But these immigration reform activists¹⁶ say they will not be deterred¹⁷ and will continue to rally to pressure the White House and Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration system.

 

1 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

2 engenders   

v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Sympathy often engenders love. 同情常常产生爱情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Some people believe poverty engenders crime. 有人认为贫困生罪恶。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

9 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》

10 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

11 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

12 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。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

16 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 deterred   

v.阻止，制止( deter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I told him I wasn't interested, but he wasn't deterred. 我已告诉他我不感兴趣，可他却不罢休。
• Jeremy was not deterred by this criticism. 杰里米没有因这一批评而却步。 来自辞典例句