VOA标准英语2014--洪都拉斯因大赦谣言引爆非法移民潮

 

In Honduras, Amnesty Rumors¹ Fuel US Migration² Surge 洪都拉斯因大赦谣言引爆非法移民潮

TEGUCIGALPA —

False rumors in Central America are fueling the current surge of undocumented young people being apprehended³ at the U.S. border.  The inaccurate⁴ claims suggest the U.S. will give amnesty to young migrants from the region.  These rumors trace back to President Obama's 2012 executive order to halt deportations for some young undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.

Most teenagers and young children attempting to migrate to the Unites States from Honduras never make it.  Many are apprehended in Guatemala and Mexico and brought to this processing center for returned migrants in San Pedro Sula.

A 19-year-old woman traveling with her son, who does not want her face shown, says she went in search of a better life.

“I would go again because as I told you getting a job here is scarce," she said.

In Honduras, 60 percent of  the people live in poverty, and crime and gang violence are serious problems.  But these conditions have existed for years.

Alexander Leiva, with the Ministry⁶ of Labor⁷ and Social Security, says the cause of the current surge is the spread of false promises in the region that certain migrants who make it to the U.S. border will be given amnesty.

“That is if they immigrate⁸ with a minor⁹, they would get special or preferential treatment, so they can go in and work in the United States, and that is completely false," said Leiva.

These stories often cite President Obama’s 2012 ruling to end deportations of young illegal immigrants.  But what has gotten lost in translation is that this ruling applies only to immigrants who already had been living in the country for the last five years.

“This is not amnesty. This is not immunity¹⁰. This is not a path to citizenship," said President Obama.

Outside of Tegucigalpa, a group called Funmiredh raises money to help resettle deportees.  The group’s leader, Carlos Dias, says the story he heard was that the U.S. was offering amnesty for a limited time.

“It seems there was a last-minute publication that amnesty, or I don’t know what, was expiring.  But from then on was when the children and parents began to immigrant with greater frequency," said Dias.

Some like Billy Noel have also heard it is easy to claim refugee status to escape gang violence.  

"Yes, I was told that the government will let you stay over there.  You could ask for political asylum¹¹ or pay a bail," said Noel.

In part to counter the amnesty rumors, the U.S. is conducting a high profile and accelerated deportation⁵ process.  It is also considering setting up a refugee screening process that would allow legitimate¹² claims to be addressed in Honduras and not at the border.

1 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

3 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。

4 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

5 deportation   

n.驱逐，放逐

参考例句：

• The government issued a deportation order against the four men.政府发出了对那4名男子的驱逐令。
• Years ago convicted criminals in England could face deportation to Australia.很多年以前，英国已定罪的犯人可能被驱逐到澳大利亚。

6 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。

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 immigrate   

v.（从外国）移来，移居入境

参考例句：

• 10,000 people are expected to immigrate in the next two years.接下来的两年里预计有10，000人会移民至此。
• Only few plants can immigrate to the island.只有很少的植物能够移植到这座岛上。

9 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。

10 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

11 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。

12 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。