VOA常速英语2019--在美国的移民突击搜查中，几乎没有雇主承担责任

Few Employers Held Accountable in US Immigration Raids

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents recently raided seven agricultural processing plants in the state of Mississippi,

美国移民和海关执法人员最近突袭了密西西比州的七家农业加工厂， 

arresting some 680 designated removable aliens who were unlawfully working at the plants.

拘捕约六百八十名在指定区域活动的外国人，他们在工厂非法地工作。 

Yet few of these companies are likely to be charged for violating federal statutes² on the unlawful employment of aliens,

然而，这些公司中很少有人可能因违反有关非法雇用外国人的联邦法律而受到指控， 

because it is usually difficult to prove they had prior knowledge their workers were in the country illegally.

因为通常很难证明他们事先知道他们的工人是非法移民。 

Penalties for hiring undocumented workers range from $100 per violation³ to ten thousand dollars and up to six months in prison for multiple infractions.

雇佣非法劳工的罚款是每次一百美元到一万美元不等，多次违规最多可判六个月监禁。 

Anti-immigration groups say the lack of strong enforcement against business owners is failing to cut off a key incentive⁴ for illegal immigration.

反移民组织表示，对企业主缺乏强有力的执法，未能切断非法移民的一个关键动机。 

Jobs.

工作。 

We’re attacking the limbs, we’re not attacking the root of the problem.

我们攻击的是细枝末节，而不是问题的根源。 

Many companies utilize⁵ the e-verify System, a voluntary government program that checks the legal status of workers.

许多公司使用电子身分认证系统，这是一个自愿的政府项目，用来检查工人的合法身份。 

But even pro¹ business advocates admitted is a flawed system because fraudulent documents often go unchallenged,

但即使是商业支持者也承认这是一个有缺陷的体系，因为欺诈性文件往往不会被质疑， 

while at the same time giving employers legal cover to maintain their workforce⁶.

同时给雇主提供合法的掩护来维持他们的劳动力。 

My number one theory about e-verify is that it doesn’t work and that’s the only reason why it’s popularbecause politicians can look tough while pushing it but know that it won’t harm the local economy.

我关于电子身份认证系统的第一个说法是它不起作用，这也是它受欢迎的唯一原因，因为政客们在推行它的时候可以显得很强硬，但他们知道它不会损害当地经济。

Immigrant rights groups object to working migrants being treated as criminals.

移民权利组织反对将打工的移民当作罪犯对待。 

Pro-business supporters want legal immigration expanded to address the labor⁷ shortage in the US.

商业支持人士希望扩大合法移民，以解决美国的劳动力短缺问题。 

The number one policy we need is to make it possible for lower and mid⁸ skilled workers to be able to come to this country legally,to be able to work for a term of time and then to be able to go back to their home countries.

我们需要的第一项政策是使中低技能工人能够合法地来到这个国家，能够工作一段时间，然后能够回到他们的祖国。

Anti-immigration proponents⁹ dispute there is a labor shortage only an unwillingness¹⁰ to pay living wages to workersand want business owners to face more than the occasional fine for hiring undocumented immigrants.

反移民支持者认为，劳工短缺只是不愿向工人支付最低生活工资，他们希望企业主在雇用非法移民时面临的不只是偶尔的罚款。

They factor that in as a cost of doing business and that has to change and the only thing that will change that I think our severe penalties that could result in jail.

他们把这作为做生意的成本，这必须改变，唯一会改变的是，我认为我们的严厉惩罚可能导致坐牢。

Both immigration critics and advocates agree enforcement measures have been ineffective.

移民批评人士和移民维权人士都认为，执法措施是无效的。 

But there continues to be no consensus¹¹ on how to reform the system.

但对于如何改革这一系统，各方仍未达成共识。 

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 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

3 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。

4 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

5 utilize   

vt.使用，利用

参考例句：

• The cook will utilize the leftover ham bone to make soup.厨师要用吃剩的猪腿骨做汤。
• You must utilize all available resources.你必须利用一切可以得到的资源。

6 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

7 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。

8 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

9 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句

10 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

11 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？