2006年VOA标准英语-Immigration Proposals Bedevil the Catholic

By Brian Padden
Washington, DC
04 May 2006
 
watch Immigrantion report

In the debate over illegal immigration in the United States, the Catholic Church has been a prominent voice in support of immigrant rights.  It has traditionally provided shelter and assistance to immigrants regardless of their legal status.   But as VOA's Brian Padden reports a new immigration reform bill could make it a criminal offense¹ to aid illegal immigrants.   

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Minutemen record the license² plates of those who hire workers
  

This day laborer³ center in Herndon, Virginia, near Washington D.C., is one of the flash points in the battle over immigration. It's a place to hire foreign workers -- some of whom are here illegally.  Self-styled Minutemen, as they call themselves, in the camp of those opposing illegal immigration, record the license plates of those who hire workers at the center.  Among those on the other side of the debate is the Roman Catholic Church, which recently began celebrating a Spanish language mass in Herndon to express solidarity⁴ with the immigrant community here.  

 

 
Father Richard Mullins
  

Father Richard Mullins represents many priests who say protecting immigrant rights is part of their religious mandate⁵ to minister to the poor and oppressed.  "No one is illegal especially in the eyes of the church. We are all the sons and daughters of God."

The Catholic Church has a long history of helping⁶ immigrants -- no matter what their legal status -- to learn English, find employment and provide legal services.  But if a new law supported by many in Congress is passed, aiding and abetting⁷ an illegal immigrant could be a criminal offense.  

Tom Tancredo  
  
Congressman⁸ Tom Tancredo of Colorado heads the House of Representatives' Immigration Caucus⁹.  He says, while it may be technically¹⁰ illegal to help undocumented workers, no one would be prosecuted¹¹ for providing humanitarian¹² aid. "No one is going to come after you for giving a sandwich to someone in the line, and this one happens to be here illegally.  You don't ask.  You don't tell."  

But he says anyone who helps illegal immigrants enter the U.S. or hides them from law enforcement officials, would suffer the consequences.

"And the Catholic Church has every right to say, 'We're going to break the law,' and we have every right to say, 'If you do, you'll go to jail,' " he continued.

Father Jose Hoyos  
  
In a recent rally Father Hoyos said, "We cannot pay the price for the terrorist acts because -- our people are not terrorists." 

Leaders in the Catholic Church like Father Jose Hoyos read the proposed legislation differently.  They argue the bill would criminalize support programs the church currently provides and will continue to provide, even if it means going to jail. "Yeah, that's absolutely right because that's what we have been doing for more than 2,000 years. So the law is not going to change our way of doing charity, love and justice to every person here in the United States." 

For these church leaders helping undocumented workers is not a political issue but an article of faith.  

Video Courtesy: Catholic Charities ESL class, and Cong. Tancredo press conference

1 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

2 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

3 laborer   

n.劳动者，劳工

参考例句：

• Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。
• He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。

4 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

5 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 abetting   

v.教唆（犯罪）( abet的现在分词 )；煽动；怂恿；支持

参考例句：

• On Earth, unknowingly abetting a criminal doesn't merit this kind of punishment. 在地球上，不知不觉地帮助罪犯并不构成这种惩罚。 来自电影对白
• "By aiding and abetting murder, the Taliban regime is committing murder." 援助和唆使谋杀的塔利班政权与杀人犯同罪。 来自互联网

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 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。

10 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

11 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。

12 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。