(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
Biden Raises US Refugee Limit to 62,500
President Joe Biden officially raised the nation's cap on refugee admissions to 62,500 this year. The action came weeks after Biden faced criticism for his delay in removing the record-low limit set by former President Donald Trump.
Refugee resettlement agencies have waited for Biden to increase the number of refugees permitted into the United States since February 12. That was the day he sent a presidential proposal to Congress saying he planned to do so.
But the presidential proposal went unsigned until Monday. Biden said that before he could sign the plan, he needed to change narrow rules put in place by Trump that had kept out most refugees.
After making the changes, Biden kept in Trump's cap of 15,000 refugees per year. He explained that the limit remained "justified by humanitarian concerns" and was "in the national interest."
That brought strong criticism. The number two Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, called the cap "unacceptable." Within hours, the White House changed the decision. It promised to increase the cap by May 15. It added, however, that it would not meet the 62,500 number the president had promised earlier. In the end, however, Biden said he received additional information that led him to return to that number.
"It is important to take this action today to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of refugees around the world who have suffered so much," Biden stated before signing it.
He said Trump's cap did not represent "America's values as a nation that welcomes and supports refugees."
He also said it was a "sad truth" that the U.S. would not meet the number by the end of the fiscal year in September. That is because of the COVID-19 pandemic and limitations on the country's ability to resettle refugees. He blamed the limitations on the Trump administration's policies.
The White House said it was unable to act until now because of the difficulties at the border as young migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras continue arriving in large numbers. Supporters of an increase in the number of refugees, including Durbin, accused Biden of playing politics.
The number of refugees is expected to be expanded to 125,000 for 2022. Only about 2,000 refugees have been resettled in the U.S. since October 1, 2020.
Refugee resettlement agencies praised Biden's actions.
Krish O'Mara Vignarajah is the head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of nine resettlement agencies in the U.S. She said her organization is pleased, as are "families all across the world who look to the U.S. for protection."
The United States, she added, is returning to worldwide "humanitarian leadership."
Biden also ended Trump's restrictions on resettlements from Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
About 35,000 refugees have been approved to enter the United States, with 100,000 others still waiting to be cleared.
I'm Susan Shand.
重点解析
重点讲解：
1. In the end 最后；终于
We won in the end but it was a near thing.
我们最后赢了，但比分很近。
2. take action 采取行动
We should take action from now on.
我们应该从现在开始采取行动。
3. put in place 落实到位
The Bank has put in place stringent financial disclosure rules for its employees.
世界银行已经对其官员采取了严格的金融公开规定。
4. Be unable to do sth. 无法做某事；没有能力做某事
She was unable to keep back her tears.
她无法忍住泪水。
参考译文
美国接收难民年度上限增至6.25万人
美国总统拜登今年正式将美国接收难民的上限增至6.25万人。这次行动是前总统唐纳德·特朗普设定创纪录的最低限度，在拜登推迟受到批评之后数周而提出的。
自2月12日以来，难民安置机构一直在等待拜登增加获准入境美国的难民人数。同日，他向国会发送了一项总统提案，称他正计划这么做。
但是总统提案直到周一才签署。拜登表示，在签署提案之前，他需要改变特朗普实施的将大多数难民拒之门外的狭隘政策。
对规定作出改变后，拜登保留了特朗普提出的每年接纳1.5万名难民的上限。他解释说，这一限制“出于人道主义考虑是合理的”，“符合国家利益”。
此举招致了强烈的批评。参议院民主党二号人物、来自伊利诺伊州的迪克·德宾(Dick Durbin)称这一上限是“不可接受的”。几小时后，白宫改变了决定。它承诺在5月15日前提高上限。不过仍然补充称，无法实现总统先前承诺的6.25万人上限。不过，拜登最终表示，他收到了更多信息，所以又恢复了（6.25万人的）上限。
在签署提案之前，拜登称：“对于世界各地遭受无尽苦难的难民而言，今天采取这一行动对于消除他们心中积压已久的疑虑来说很重要。”
他说，特朗普提出的上限并不符合“美国作为一个欢迎和支持难民的国家的价值观”。
他还指出，美国无法在9月份财政年度结束时达到这一目标，这是一个“可悲的事实”。这是因为新冠肺炎大流行以及该国安置难民的能力受到限制。他将这些限制归咎于特朗普政府的政策。
白宫表示，由于来自萨尔瓦多、危地马拉和洪都拉斯的年轻移民继续大量抵达边境，由于边境的问题，目前还无法采取行动。包括德宾在内支持增加难民接收人数的人士指责拜登“玩弄政治”。
到2022年，难民人数预计将增加到12.5万人。自2020年10月1日以来，只有大约2000名难民在美国得到重新安置。
难民安置机构赞扬了拜登的行动。
克里希·奥玛拉·维格纳拉贾（Krish O'Mara Vignarajah）是路德教移民和难民服务机构的负责人，该机构是美国九个移民安置机构之一。她指出，她的组织和“世界各地寻求美国保护的家庭”都感到高兴。
她还说，美国正在重塑在世界范围内的“人道主义领导地位”。
拜登还结束了特朗普对索马里、叙利亚和也门移民的限制。
大约有3.5万名难民获准进入美国，还有10万名难民仍在等待安置。
苏珊·尚德为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
