VOA慢速英语:美国选举结果可能危及移民改革
American political experts say it will be difficult tochange the country’s immigration laws after the unexpected defeat of a topRepublican in a primary election this week.
Eric Cantor is the majority leader of the Republican-controlled House ofRepresentatives. He had supported legislation that would have permitted thechildren of illegal immigrants to stay in the United States and one day becomecitizens.
But Tuesday he was defeated for the party’s nomination by a collegeprofessor named David Brat. Mr. Brat had claimed that Mr. Cantor’s beliefson immigration would permit people who entered the country illegally to stay.
Even though Mr. Cantor had strongly opposed the policies of PresidentObama, Mr. Brat said he was more conservative than Mr. Cantor.
Mr. Cantor spent fifty times the amount of money Mr. Brat spent in the primaryelection in the mid-Atlantic state of Virginia. But Mr. Brat told his supportersthat money was not important.
“The reason we won this campaign -- if there’s just one reason -- and that’sbecause dollars do not vote -- you do. This campaign was about just basicAmerican values and virtues right from the beginning. And the basic premiseis power belongs to the people and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
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House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., delivers his concession speech as his wife, Diana, listens in Richmond, Va., June 10, 2014. Cantor lost in the GOP primary tp tea party candidate Dave Brat. |
Conservative Republicans strongly oppose changes in immigration lawssupported by Mr. Obama. Last year, the Democrat-controlled Senateapproved major changes to the country’s immigration laws. But theRepublican-controlled House has not taken action on the changes.
Some experts believed the House might approve an immigration bill in the nexttwo months. With Cantor’s defeat, they now said conservative lawmakerswould be even more strongly opposed to changes in the immigration laws. One of the changes would have given citizenship to the estimated 11 millionpeople now living in the United States illegally.
There are many differences between Republicans and Democrats overimmigration, and the disputes are often angry. Experts believe Mr. Obamawas re-elected in 2012 in part because he received many votes fromHispanics. The experts say Hispanics’ strong and deep support forDemocrats could help the party’s candidates succeed in future nationalelections.
Most conservative Republicans say the United States should first make itimpossible for people to enter the country illegally from Mexico. They believethat only then should the country make changes to its immigration laws.
I’m Christopher Cruise
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