VOA标准英语2010-Top US Officials Express Concern About Ne

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she has "deep concerns" about a new immigration law in the western state of Arizona that will require police to question people if there is reason to believe they could be illegal immigrants.  Napolitano faced questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill on what the Obama administration is doing to secure the U.S. border with Mexico.

 

Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer¹ signed a bill into law last Friday that would make it a crime to be in the state illegally and would require police to check the status of people they suspect to be illegal immigrants.  The law, which is set to take effect later this year, would also require immigrants to carry their registration² documents with them at all times.

Testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano said she fears the law will cost her department money and the resources it needs to focus on illegal immigrants who commit serious crimes.

Several Republican senators said the Arizona governor acted because the federal government has failed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs from Mexico, and failed to secure the border.  In this exchange with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Napolitano, who used to be the governor of Arizona, said the federal government has taken action to make the border more secure.

Napolitano: "I have walked that border, I have ridden that border, I have flown it, I have driven it. I know that border I think as well as anyone."
Graham: "Do you think it is secure?"
Napolitano: "And I will tell you it is as secure now as it has ever been..."
Graham: "My question ..."
Napolitano: "Senator, please.  Let me answer the question."

Senator Graham and other Republicans say that many Americans living near the southern U.S. border are worried about the drug war in Mexico and fear the violence will spill over across the border.  Graham said the Obama administration needs to show it can secure the border before it tries to pass immigration reform in Congress.

"And there is a war going on," added Senator Graham.  "And you can't ignore the fact that the border is more dangerous because of the war in Mexico, which requires more action, not less."

Graham is one of few Republican lawmakers who in the past tried to work with Democrats³ to pass comprehensive immigration reform, but he said any immigration bill Congress would introduce would "crash and burn" unless the border is secured first.

Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, who is facing a primary election challenge from another Republican in his re-run for the senate seat in November, said that Arizona citizens are demanding action.

"The people in southern Arizona have had their rights violated by the unending and constant flow of drug smugglers and human traffickers across their property," said Senator McCain.

The law has strong public support in Arizona.

Opponents of the law in Arizona used refried beans to smear⁴ swastikas on the state Capitol in Phoenix⁵, and civil rights and human rights leaders are calling for a tourist boycott⁶ of the state, saying the law discriminates⁷ against people who look or sound foreign and violates people's constitutional rights by giving the police too much power.

President Barack Obama has called the Arizona law "misguided" and says that Congress needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform.  The president said the law threatens to undermine "basic notions of fairness."

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder⁸ said Tuesday that the federal government may challenge Arizona's new law in court.

Mexico's foreign ministry⁹ issued a statement warning its citizens living in or traveling to Arizona that they could be "harassed¹⁰" and questioned without cause.
 

1 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

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 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》

4 smear   

v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• He has been spreading false stories in an attempt to smear us.他一直在散布谎言企图诽谤我们。
• There's a smear on your shirt.你衬衫上有个污点。

5 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

6 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。

7 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

8 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。

9 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

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