VOA标准英语2010-Tough State Immigration Law Could Face Fe

Carolyn Presutti | Washington 28 April 2010

 
Protestors demonstrate against immigration legislation in US state of Arizona

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder¹ says the federal government is considering a court challenge to the new law in the southwestern state of Arizona that is aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration. There have been protests around the nation for and against the law.

The law requires immigrants to carry registration² documents with them at all times, and instructs police to question people if there is reason to believe they are illegal immigrants.

Arizona is at the heart of the immigration debate.  More than 600,000 illegal immigrants have been arrested along the border.

The issue is raising blood pressure outside the U.S. Capitol. Representative Luiz Gutierrez chairs the Hispanic Caucus³ Immigration Task Force.  "The lunacy of rounding up people because they look a certain way or are suspected of being in violation⁴ of immigration statutes⁵ can only lead to one thing:  violations⁶ of people's basic fundamental civil rights.  Profiling," he said.

Opponents of the law have called for a boycott⁷ of businesses in the state.  They say the law discriminates⁸ against and profiles mainly Latinos.  Representative Raul Grijalva represents Arizona in Congress, but he is against the law. "All of us should be fearful of our civil rights of our human rights and of our constitutional protections," he said.

A legislator from Texas, a state which also shares its border with Mexico plans to introduce a similar bill.  Republican Debbie Riddle⁹ says if the federal government would do its job, the states wouldn't have to take such actions.

The Obama administration may choose to challenge the state law. The president called the law "poorly conceived." "Now suddenly if you don't have your papers and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you're going to be harassed¹⁰, that's something that could potentially happen.  Thats not the right way to go," he said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates there are at least 10 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. Some lawmakers favor a two-phase plan to legalize illegal immigrants already living in the U.S.  Others want to post National Guard troops at the border.

 

1 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

2 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

3 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

4 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

5 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 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。

7 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

8 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 riddle   

n.谜，谜语，粗筛；vt.解谜，给…出谜，筛，检查，鉴定，非难，充满于；vi.出谜

参考例句：

• The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
• Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。

10 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们