羅德島州大刪對非法移民的限制

(下文來自波士頓環球報)

R.I. slashes restrictions on illegal immigrants

By Maria Sacchetti

Globe Staff / October 8, 2011

PROVIDENCE - As Alabama and Arizona embrace harsh new immigration laws, the state of Rhode Island is going the other way.

阿拉巴馬州和亞歷桑納州擁抱嚴厲的新移民法，羅德島州卻選擇相反的方向。

US asks court to stop Ala. law. A2.

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, who took office in January, has dismantled Rhode Island’s vigorous campaign against illegal immigration in recent months, ditching the E-verify system for checking workers’ status, revoking the State Police’s authority to enforce federal immigration laws, and leading a campaign that last week granted in-state tuition to unauthorized immigrants. He is even considering driver’s licenses for immigrants living here illegally.

羅德島州州長查菲(Lincoln D. Chafee)自從今年一月上任以來，解散了羅德島州近月來轟轟烈烈的反非法移民活動，放棄了檢查工人身份的電子確認系統，廢除了州警執行聯邦移民法的權力，還帶頭推動上週通過了的，容許未獲授權移民享有州內居民學費費率。他甚至還考慮給住在本地的非法移民發駕照。

The stunning turnaround reflects the fickle nature of immigration politics in a state that still remains deeply divided over the issue, with critics vowing to fight Chafee’s actions. But it is also a lesson in the growing power of the Latino vote, and how an unlikely alliance between immigrants and Chafee, a risk-taking blueblood politician, tipped the scales and propelled Rhode Island in a new direction.

在一個民眾對此議題意見分歧極大，有批評者誓言要對抗查菲行動的州中，這令人驚詫的轉變，反映了移民政策多變的本質。但是拉丁裔選票成長的力量，敢於冒險的世家政客查菲竟和移民組成了個很不可能發生的聯盟，打翻以往尺度，把羅州帶往一個新方向，卻是給人上了一課。

 “The big thing was that it wasn’t working,’’ Chafee said in an interview yesterday, describing his predecessor’s efforts to curb illegal immigration. “The idea was that it would help us with our economy. It didn’t accomplish that.’’

查菲談及前任遏阻非法移民的行動時表示，最大的問題是那沒用，原來的想法是那樣做會幫助經濟，但並沒有達成目的。

One of his first acts in office was to rescind a 2008 order by the previous governor, Governor Donald Carcieri, that sought to reduce the estimated 20,000 to 40,000 illegal immigrants in Rhode Island and lessen what he called a burden on state resources. The order required state agencies and contractors to use E-verify, a federal service that verifies a person’s eligibility to work, and deputized several State Police troopers to help enforce immigration law, among other provisions.

羅州前任州長卡西艾瑞(Donald Carcieri)在2008年時，為縮減羅德島州內估計有二萬到四萬名的非法移民人數，並減輕他所謂州政府資源的負擔，公佈一項行政命令，要求州府機構及合約商採用聯邦政府提供的電子確認法(E-verify)，來確認一個人是否有資格工作，命令條款中還包括指派一些州警來協助執行移民法。查菲上任後的最初行動之一，是廢除了該一命令。

Chafee said that instead of boosting the economy, the policies alienated the state’s Latino population, which has grown more than 40 percent in the past decade and includes significant numbers of immigrants. He said the state was unfairly blaming immigrants for the bleak economy.

查菲表示，這些政策並沒有促進經濟，反而疏離了過去十年來在該州增加40%，其中很大一部份是移民的拉丁裔人口。他說羅州不公平的把經濟不景怪罪於移民。

The son of a governor and the descendant of one of Rhode Island’s founding families, Chafee would appear to have little in common with illegal immigrants flowing in mostly from Latin America, except for a $50 fine he got in 1977 for illegally working as a blacksmith in Canada.

查菲是創立羅德島州家族之一的後代，他父親也曾擔任羅州州長。除了1977年，他在加拿大非法擔任鐵匠(blacksmith)，被罰款五十元之外，他看起來和那些大都從拉丁美洲湧來的非法移民，沒有什麼共通之處，

But immigrants said Chafee listened to their concerns during his campaign last year, when the former Republican US senator, who ran as an independent, said he would rescind Carcieri’s order and fight for a path to citizenship for those here illegally.

不過移民們說，曾經是共和黨籍聯邦參議員，去年以無黨籍獨立候選人身份競選州長的查菲，在競選期間，聽到他們的擔心，並說他會廢除卡西艾瑞的命令，為本地的非法移民爭取成為公民途徑。

He won a three-way race for governor with just 36 percent of the vote, and though less than a tenth of Rhode Island voters are Latinos, he said they probably pushed him over the top. Latinos also had a decisive role in other close races, and in the election of Providence’s first Latino mayor, Harvard-educated Angel Taveras.

這場大選有三人角逐，查菲以36%的得票率獲勝。查菲說，儘管羅州選民大概僅有十分之一是拉丁裔人，但很可能就是他們使他成為得票最多者。拉丁裔在其他選情接近的競選中，也扮演了決定性的角色，包括選出羅德島州首名拉丁裔市長，哈佛大學畢業的Angel Taveras。

Chafee’s critics say the debate is far from over. This week, about 500 protesters rallied at the State House to protest the unanimous Sept. 26 decision by the Board of Governors for Higher Education to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, and vowed to overturn it before the rule takes effect in September 2012.

批評查菲的人表示，移民問題這爭辯，離畫下句點還遠得很。十月中，約有500名抗議者遊行到州政府大樓，反對州長高等教育局在九月廿六日無異議的同意了，准許非法移民享有州內居民學費費率，並誓言在該法於2012年九月生效前，推翻它。

“Rhode Island didn’t change, just the administration changed,’’ said Terry Gorman, executive director of Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement, who attended the rally. He added, “We’re going to challenge this.’’

羅德島執行移民法協會(Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement)行政主任Terry Gorman參加了遊行。他說，羅德島州沒有變，只是行政機構變了而已。「我們要挑戰這一決定」。

The Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University says the new rule will bring in about $162,000 annually while only affecting about 100 illegal immigrants a year. Now, undocumented students pay nonresident tuition that is more than double the cost. Resident tuition at the University of Rhode Island is $10,556 a year, compared with $27,262 a year for nonresidents.

羅傑威廉斯大學(Roger Williams University)的拉丁裔政策院(The Latino Policy Institute)表示，新法規將每年為州政府帶來十六萬二千元，同時一年內約只有100名非法移民受影響。目前，無證件學生付非居民學費。羅德島大學的州內居民學費是10,556元一年，非居民學費則是27,262一年。

Antonio Albizures-Lopez, a 20-year-old here without papers since his parents brought him as a baby from Guatemala, said he campaigned for Chafee because the candidate had told him he would consider helping students such as him, but he had been skeptical that things would change.

現年廿歲，當年還是嬰兒時被父母從瓜地馬拉帶來這兒的無證件居民Antonio Albizures-Lopez說，他為查菲助選，因為查菲曾告訴他，將會考慮幫助像他一樣的學生，不過那時他懷疑事情會改變。

“I didn’t expect it, to tell you the truth,’’ said Albizures-Lopez. “When I was working on his campaign, I always thought maybe he’s going to be another politician who throws out promises and never completes them. But he’s actually kept his word.’’

他說，老實說，他沒有期待這會發生。當他在查菲的助選團中工作時，他一直認為，查菲可能又是一名拋棄承諾，從不兌現的政客，但他真的說話算話了。

Rhode Island’s flip-flop reflects a slew of similar contradictions at the national level, where states such as Maryland and Connecticut are allowing students here illegally to pay in-state tuition while states such as Alabama are barring them from state colleges altogether. Researchers say many states are tackling illegal immigration because Congress, which has power over federal immigration law, has consistently failed to do so.

羅德島州的反覆，反應了全國層次上的一系列類似矛盾，例如馬里蘭州、康州允許非法居留學生支付州內學費，但阿拉巴馬州等卻禁止他們進州立大專院校。研究人員說，許多州都在因應非法移民問題，因為有權管聯邦移民法的國會，一直都拿不出辦法來。

This year federal officials fully deployed the controversial Secure Communities program in Rhode Island, allowing them to screen the fingerprints of everyone arrested and hold those here illegally for possible deportation.

今年，聯邦官員正式在羅德島州全面實施有爭議的安全社區法，准許警察篩檢他們所逮捕每一個人的指紋，扣押那些非法居留者，並可能把他們遞解出境。

Rhode Island is also continuing to refer convicted criminals to immigration officials for possible deportation once their sentences are up, though that was part of the overturned executive order.

儘管那是已遭推翻行政命令的一部份，羅德島州仍將繼續把已確認犯罪者，轉介給移民局官員，以備一旦刑滿，就可能遞解出境。

But unauthorized immigrants who came here to work say they welcomed the respite from years of hostility from the governor’s office. They say they came here to work, often from nations deeply affected by war, poverty, and gang violence.

不過，未獲批准來此工作的移民們說，他們歡迎多年來對他們充滿敵意的州長辦公室，現在對他們表示尊敬。他們說，來這工作的人，通常都來自深受戰火、貧窮及幫派暴力影響的國家。

“You don’t have to hide,’’ said Leo, 30, who declined to give his last name because he is here illegally to work and send money to his wife and two children. As he spoke about them, tears filled his eyes because he has not seen them in three years.

三十歲，拒絕透露姓氏的李奧(Leo)說，你不需要躲藏。他為了寄錢給他太太及兩名小孩，非法來此工作。當他談及妻小時，淚盈滿眶，因為他已有三年沒見他們了。

Juan and Antonia Garcia, owners of the popular La Poblanita bakery and market in Providence, said their business suffered under the past administration, with immigrants afraid to travel to their shop. The couple, too, came here illegally from Mexico many years ago, but now are US citizens and business owners who pay taxes and proudly sent all three children to college.

Juan及 Antonia Garcia在羅德島州擁有頗受歡迎的La Poblanita麵包店及市場。他們說，在前任政府統治下，他們的生意也受影響，因為移民們怕出門，就沒光顧他們的店了。這對夫婦在許多年前，也是非法從墨西哥來的，不過，他們現在都是美國公民，擁有商鋪，付稅，還驕傲的把所有三名子女都送進大學就讀。

Antonia Garcia was thrilled that Chafee approved in-state tuition, but her husband shrugged, saying that the bigger problem remains unsolved. Even if undocumented students graduate from college, he said, they cannot live here legally.

Antonia Garcia驚嘆查菲批准了州內居民學費費率，但她丈夫卻聳聳肩的表示，更大的問題還沒解決。他說，即使無證件學生能從大學畢業，他們仍然不能合法在此居住。

“What happens when they graduate ? Are they going to let them work?’’ said Juan Garcia. “I know people are celebrating and everything, but it doesn’t give us a thing.’’

Juan Garcia說，當他們畢業時，怎麼辦？政府會讓他們工作嗎？「我知道人們在慶祝，但那並沒有給我們什麼(but it doesn’t give us a thing)。