美国国家公共电台 NPR Acting Head Of Customs and Border Protection Says New Asylum Rule In 'Pilot' Phase

 

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

When the acting¹ director of Homeland Security testified before Congress today, the most pointed² questions were about immigration and the U.S. border with Mexico. In another part of the program we're going to hear from lawmakers who questioned the acting secretary today. Now we're going to talk with the man who oversees³ U.S. immigration policy at the border. Mark Morgan is the Trump⁴ administration's acting head of Customs and Border Protection. He took that job two weeks ago, after just over a month as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Welcome to the studio.

MARK MORGAN: Thank you for having me.

SHAPIRO: Let me begin, Commissioner⁵ Morgan, by asking you about big changes that have happened just in the two weeks that you've been on the job. One is that people seeking asylum⁶ are now required to petition for asylum in a country that they pass through on the way to the United States. U.S. border officials have said they had less than a day's notice to implement⁷ this change; they weren't fully⁸ briefed on the policy. Is that a recipe for success?

MORGAN: Yes, it is. And so you've got to remember - when a new policy like this is going to happen, although the new federal regulation allows us to apply that all 2,000 miles along the southwest border, we're not going to do that. So we're really piloting it in just one location. That location is briefed, and they know what to do and how to do that.

SHAPIRO: Do you anticipate that this is going to expand along the entire U.S.-Mexico border, and if so, what's the timeline for that?

MORGAN: That would be the goal. Right now, though, we've already - two lawsuits⁹ - one, I believe, in California and D.C., looking to enjoin¹⁰ - we're actually anticipating that probably the regulation will be enjoined¹¹, and then we'll have to go from there, as - unfortunately, many times this happens. But that would be the goal. Timeline is always dependent on how successful the pilot is and what we learn from that going forward. So I wouldn't be able to give you a timeline.

SHAPIRO: Depends on success of the program and litigation?

MORGAN: Correct. Exactly. Exactly.

SHAPIRO: The whole country, I think, reacted to a photograph we saw a few weeks ago of a father and daughter who drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande.

MORGAN: Tragic¹².

SHAPIRO: Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his 23-month-old child Valeria. Previously¹³, people could present themselves in the U.S. with a reasonable expectation that they might be granted asylum. Now that they are expected to present themselves in a country that they pass through...

MORGAN: Correct.

SHAPIRO: ...If they want to enter the U.S., that door is effectively closed. Do you fear that more people will risk their lives trying to cross, the way that Oscar and Valeria did?

MORGAN: So remember - it's not closed; it just means that now, that initial credible¹⁴ fear application has been taken away from them. They can still come and apply for a higher degree of asylum, and they're still going to go through a process here. I think that's key. It's not that they're barred from that. But what I would say is we're actually trying to prevent these individuals from taking the long trek¹⁵.

The picture you just described of the father, who - he jumped in the Rio Grande to save his daughter, right? We don't want that. We don't want them taking this - a perilous¹⁶ trek to do that. That's part of this whole process here. Meanwhile, keep in mind - that's happening. Who's getting rich doing that? The cartels. It's a multibillion dollar business.

SHAPIRO: But I just have to ask one more time...

MORGAN: Sure.

SHAPIRO: ...Given that people want to enter the U.S. and the bar has been raised farther, do you think more people are going to take those risky¹⁷ paths that you would prefer they not take and put their lives in danger?

MORGAN: No, what I'm hoping is that they realize that coming here illegally and taking that perilous trek is not going to get them entry, that they'll stop coming.

SHAPIRO: Commissioner Morgan, one reason that President Trump wanted you in this position is that you have consistently defended his immigration policies on cable news. This is something that you said to Tucker Carlson on Fox News in January.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "TUCKER CARLSON TONIGHT")

MORGAN: I've been to the detention¹⁸ facilities, where I've walked up to these individuals that are so-called minors²⁰, 17 or under, and I've looked at them, and I've looked at their eyes, Tucker, and I said that is a soon-to-be MS-13 gang member. It's unequivocal.

SHAPIRO: Do you regret those remarks?

MORGAN: So no, I don't - I think when you look back and you're out there and you're putting yourself out there and you're talking a lot, would I say I wish I would have rephrased it? Yes. Yes, absolutely. I think I wish I would have phrased it is that - I think what I'm absolutely looking at is potential gang members, and the facts prove that out. A couple of years ago ICE did an operation where they went after and they apprehended²¹ a lot of gang members. Forty percent of those gang members came in under the family unit or unaccompanied minor¹⁹ program.

So people join gangs for the same reason they have forever, right? They're looking for - they're looking to belong. They're looking for guidance. They're looking for social status. They're looking for finance. It goes on and on and on. And so when you take a vulnerable population - a child comes here. They have no parents. They have no guidance. They have no supervision²². They're unskilled, uneducated. They don't speak the language. They are prime candidates to be recruited for gangs. I know that. I've worked it. That's what I meant - I was trying to say.

SHAPIRO: Let me ask broadly about the culture of the organization you lead. Matthew Klein, the assistant commissioner in charge of the Office of Professional Responsibility, told reporters on Monday that his office is investigating at least 62 current Border Patrol agents who belong to this secret Facebook group we've been hearing about. ProPublica published screenshots that included obscene images and threats to Democrats²³ in Congress. What are you doing about the sense within your organization that it is acceptable to mock and denigrate²⁴ and dehumanize people who have crossed the border illegally?

MORGAN: So I'm glad you asked that - and two things. So let me start off by saying it was horrendous²⁵, all right? Some of the images were out there - absolutely horrendous, wrong and not consistent with the way that CBP, or specifically Border Patrol, conducts themselves - period. What I would say is that it also, though, does not represent the culture of the Border Patrol. I've seen just the opposite. I've seen Border Patrol agents out there treating these - some of these same kids we're talking about, right?

SHAPIRO: I appreciate that you've seen that; we've also seen images that show a different side of the culture. So my question is, what are you doing to eradicate²⁶ the side of the culture that is less pleasant than what you're describing?

MORGAN: So I think part of it is - we're coming on shows just like this - right? - and talking about it and saying that it's unacceptable, unequivocally. I think everybody needs to hear it from the commissioner, acting commissioner of CBP, that those posts are absolutely unacceptable. It's wrong. And we are going to fully investigate that. You know, I know - Matt has already reported to me, and he's keeping me up to date daily, by the way.

SHAPIRO: That's Matt Klein, the assistant commissioner in charge of the Office of Professional Responsibility that I mentioned, yeah.

MORGAN: Right. Kind of - internal affairs, just in case people don't understand that. So he's actually providing me daily updates. And he's expediting that. We've got a team together. We're fully investigating that. And we're going to hold these people responsible to include - I mean, we're actually looking at potential criminal charges. Now, I don't know whether the actions will satisfy the elements of criminal charges, but that has been talked about, just to show how serious we're taking that.

We've already put several people on administrative²⁷ leave, which, by the way, that's a huge deal. We're taking them off their law enforcement duties. They lose pay. We've already done that. We've given numerous cease-and-desist letters as well. And I can promise American people we're going to hold them accountable.

SHAPIRO: We're in this funny situation right now where you have been in this acting capacity, in this job for two weeks, having been in acting capacity in a different job for about a month. Your boss, in an acting capacity, is testifying on Capitol Hill. Almost all of the leaders at Homeland Security are acting, and it is one of the highest priorities of this administration. So how do you implement a coherent border policy under those circumstances?

MORGAN: Acting - so the only people that are really concerned about acting are people like you.

SHAPIRO: Well, and presumably the big guys at the White House who have to work with the people in their cabinet who are a rotating cast of characters.

MORGAN: So nobody that I've worked with, with the White House or the secretary or anybody else, has ever worried about whether acting is in front of our name or not. I don't wake up in the morning changing anything I do because I have acting in front of my name.

SHAPIRO: There has been more turnover²⁸ in the Department of Homeland Security in this administration than at any time in my memory. That's got to have an impact.

MORGAN: I think that, yeah, anytime you have a turnover, there's some impact. I agree. I think that's reasonable to say. But you got to remember - the men and women of CBP, whether I'm here tomorrow or I'm here for two years, what they do every single day, they're going to keep doing it.

SHAPIRO: Mark Morgan is the Trump administration's acting head of Customs and Border Protection.

Thank you for coming into the studio today.

MORGAN: You bet, Ari. Thank you for having me.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

2 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

3 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

10 enjoin   

v.命令；吩咐；禁止

参考例句：

• He enjoined obedience on the soldiers.他命令士兵服从。
• The judge enjoined him from selling alcohol.法官禁止他卖酒。

11 enjoined   

v.命令( enjoin的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The embezzler was severely punished and enjoined to kick back a portion of the stolen money each month. 贪污犯受到了严厉惩罚，并被责令每月退还部分赃款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She enjoined me strictly not to tell anyone else. 她严令我不准告诉其他任何人。 来自辞典例句

12 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

13 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

14 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

15 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

16 perilous   

adj.危险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• The journey through the jungle was perilous.穿过丛林的旅行充满了危险。
• We have been carried in safety through a perilous crisis.历经一连串危机，我们如今已安然无恙。

17 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

18 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。

19 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

20 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》

21 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

22 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

23 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》

24 denigrate   

v.诬蔑，诽谤

参考例句：

• It was unkind to denigrate her achievement.贬低她的成就是刻薄的。
• To assert this is to denigrate the effectiveness of the police.坚持这一点就是贬低警方的办事能力。

25 horrendous   

adj.可怕的，令人惊惧的

参考例句：

• He described it as the most horrendous experience of his life.他形容这是自己一生中最可怕的经历。
• The mining industry in China has a horrendous safety record.中国的煤矿工业具有令人不安的安全记录。

26 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

27 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

28 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。