VOA标准英语2014--边境危机使得反对者支持移民改革

 

Border Crisis Fuels Opposition¹ to Immigration Reform 边境危机使得反对者支持移民改革

A majority of Americans still support some form of legalization for undocumented immigrants who are already in the country, but opposition to outright² amnesty is growing, along with support for stronger border security, according to the latest public opinion polls.

In the last year, amnesty rumors³ have prompted tens of thousands of Central American children to try to enter the U.S. illegally in an effort to escape poverty and gang violence at home. This surge of migrant minors⁴ has at times overwhelmed detention⁵ facilities and the judicial⁶ system that must review each case.  

Opponents of current immigration reform efforts say this humanitarian⁷ crisis is also sparking public anger.  

“I think it is the straw that broke the camel’s back," said Bob Dane, who is with the Federation⁸ for American Immigration Reform. "This current surge of unaccompanied minors is proof positive that what we’ve been told, that the border is secure, isn’t true. In fact, its proof positive that the problem is getting worse and the public is upset.”

Public opinion polls do show a shift in American attitudes toward immigration policy, according to Mark Hugo Lopez, with the Pew Research Center.

“Certainly it seems there has been some movement and opinion, particularly among Republicans, away from supporting legalization," he said. "But at the same time [there is] a growing share of Americans -- Republicans, Democrats⁹ and Independents -- who say that it is important that some sort of significant new legislation pass.”

While a majority of Americans may support immigration reform, the conservative Tea Party wing of the Republican Party has been able to block any legislation on this issue.  

“There is a very strong nativist sentiment afoot, reflected certainly in the Tea Party but many other conservatives as well, and they’re the ones important in House constituencies, and that’s really why we haven’t been able to take any action,” said Thomas Mann, a congressional scholar at The Brookings Institution.

Immigration opponents accuse President Obama of poorly managing the border and of creating an expectation of amnesty when he issued an executive order to end deportation¹⁰ of young immigrants already living in the U.S.  Dane says these will be key issues in this year’s congressional elections.

“I would not want to be a candidate this year without a clear and concise¹¹ answer, that I would expect from the public, on why we have an immigration crisis and what you intend to do about it,” he said.

While most Americans still support immigration reform, they now also say stopping the flow of undocumented immigrants should be the government’s top priority. 

1 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。

2 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

3 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 minors   

n.未成年人( minor的名词复数 )；副修科目；小公司；[逻辑学]小前提v.[主美国英语]副修，选修，兼修( minor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The law forbids shops to sell alcohol to minors. 法律禁止商店向未成年者出售含酒精的饮料。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had three minors this semester. 这学期他有三门副修科目。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

8 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。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 concise   

adj.简洁的，简明的

参考例句：

• The explanation in this dictionary is concise and to the point.这部词典里的释义简明扼要。
• I gave a concise answer about this.我对于此事给了一个简要的答复。