US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents recently raided seven agricultural processing plants in the state of Mississippi
美国移民与海关执法局近日突袭了密西西比州的七个农业加工工厂。
arresting some 680 designated, removable aliens who were unlawfully working at the plants.
逮捕了大约680名指定的,可去除的外国人,他们非法在这里工作。
Yet few of these companies are likely to be charged for violating federal statutes on the unlawful employment of aliens,
但很少有企业会因非法雇佣外国人,违反联邦法规而被指控。
because it is usually difficult to prove they had prior knowledge their workers were in the country illegally.
因为很难证明他们知道工人是非法进入美国的。
Penalties for hiring undocumented workers range from $100 per violation to ten thousand dollars and up to six months in prison for multiple infractions.
对于雇佣无证工人而言,每次违反会罚款一百美金到一万美金不等,多次违法最高判处六个月监禁。
Anti-immigration groups say the lack of strong enforcement against business owners is failing to cut off a key incentive for illegal immigration.
反移民组织称缺少对企业主的强有力的执法措施,让我们没有切断非法移民的主要动机。
Jobs. We're attacking the limbs, we're not attacking the root of the problem.
工作,我们在打击一些细枝末节,没有打击问题根源。
Many companies utilize the E-Verify system, a voluntary government program that checks the legal status of workers.
许多企业使用电子审核系统,这是一个自愿的政府项目,核查工人的合法身份。
But even pro-business advocates admitted is a flawed system because fraudulent documents often go unchallenged,
但甚至是支持企业的呼吁人士都承认系统存在缺陷,因为虚假的文件经常不会被质疑,
while at the same time giving employers legal cover to maintain their workforce.
同时给雇主一个合法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 popular
我对电子审核系统的第一个看法是它没用,这是它受欢迎的唯一原因,
cause politicians can look tough while pushing it but know that it won't harm the local economy.
因为政客在推行它时看起来很强硬,但知道这不会影响当地经济。
Immigrant rights groups object to working migrants being treated as criminals.
移民权利组织反对将工作移民当作罪犯来看待。
Pro-business supporters want legal immigration expanded to address the labor shortage in the US.
亲企业的支持者将合法移民扩大,解决美国劳动力不足问题。
The number one policy we need is to make it possible for lower and mid-skilled workers to be able to come to this country legally,
我们需要的首要政策是让低水平,中等水平的工人可以合法进入美国,
to be able to work for a term of time and then to be able to go back to their home countries.
可以工作一段时间,可以回到母国。
Anti-immigration proponents dispute there is a labor shortage, only an unwillingness to pay living wages to workers
反移民拥护者对劳动力短缺持怀疑态度,只是不愿意向工人支付基本生活工资,
and want business owners to face more than the occasional fine for hiring undocumented immigrants.
让企业因为雇佣非法移民遭受不只是偶然的罚款。
They factor that in as a cost of doing business and that has to change
他们把这作为做生意的成本,这必须改变,
and the only thing that will change that I think our severe penalties that could result in jail.
我认为唯一要改变的是严厉的惩罚可以变成监禁。
Both immigration critics and advocates agree enforcement measures have been ineffective.
移民批评人士和呼吁人士都认为执法措施效果不明显。
But there continues to be no consensus on how to reform the system
但关于如何改革系统目前没有共识。
Brian Padden VOA news, Washington
布莱恩·帕灯,VOA新闻华盛顿报道