US Election Result Could Imperil Immigration Reform

American political experts say it will be difficult to change the country's immigration laws after the unexpected defeat of a top Republican in a primary election this week.

Eric Cantor is the majority leader of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. He had supported legislation that would have permitted the children of illegal immigrants to stay in the United States and one day become citizens.

But Tuesday he was defeated for the party's nomination by a college professor named David Brat. Mr. Brat had claimed that Mr. Cantor's beliefs on immigration would permit people who entered the country illegally to stay.

Even though Mr. Cantor had strongly opposed the policies of President Obama, Mr. Brat said he was more conservative than Mr. Cantor.

Mr. Cantor spent fifty times the amount of money Mr. Brat spent in the primary election in the mid-Atlantic state of Virginia. But Mr. Brat told his supporters that money was not important.

"The reason we won this campaign -- if there's just one reason -- and that's because dollars do not vote -- you do. This campaign was about just basic American values and virtues right from the beginning. And the basic premise is power belongs to the people and that's what we're gonna do."

Conservative Republicans strongly oppose changes in immigration laws supported by Mr. Obama. Last year, the Democrat-controlled Senate approved major changes to the country's immigration laws. But the Republican-controlled House has not taken action on the changes.

Some experts believed the House might approve an immigration bill in the next two months. With Cantor's defeat, they now said conservative lawmakers would be even more strongly opposed to changes in the immigration laws. One of the changes would have given citizenship to the estimated 11 million people now living in the United States illegally.

There are many differences between Republicans and Democrats over immigration, and the disputes are often angry. Experts believe Mr. Obama was re-elected in 2012 in part because he received many votes from Hispanics. The experts say Hispanics' strong and deep support for Democrats could help the party's candidates succeed in future national elections.

Most conservative Republicans say the United States should first make it impossible for people to enter the country illegally from Mexico. They believe that only then should the country make changes to its immigration laws.

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词汇解析

unexpected

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.想不到的;意外的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

Because of something unexpected, I wonder if I can change my appointment from Tuesday to Friday.

由于想不到的原因，我不知道是否可以把约会时间由星期二改到星期五。

The unexpected defeat came as a thunderbolt.

这意外的失败犹如晴天霹雳。

majority

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.大多数;多数;多数党;多数派

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

The majority of people seem to prefer TV to radio.

多数人喜欢电视胜过广播。

The majority was determined to press its proposal.

多数派决心强求通过其提案。

illegal

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

adj.非法的;不合法的

n.非法移民

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

The jewellery firm is just a front for their illegal trade in diamonds.

该珠宝公司不过是进行非法的钻石交易的幌子。

It's illegal to read people's private letters without permission.

未经允许看别人的私人信件是不合法的。

用作名词 (n.)

The illegals couldn't be admitted by the authority.

非法移民是不被政府认可的。

permit

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.许可证;执照

v.允许;许可

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

You can't work here without a work permit.

你没有许可证就不能在这里工作。

用作动词 (v.)

I'll come after the meeting if time permits.

如果时间许可的话，我开完会就来。

oppose

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.反对;对抗;使对立

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

It was courageous of him to oppose his chief.

他敢反对他的上司，真是勇敢。

We're firmly opposed to the practice of powerpolitics between nations.

我们强烈反对在国与国之间实行强权政治。

approve

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.批准;赞成;同意;称许

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

I approve of your trying to earn some money, but please don't neglect your studies.

我同意你去挣一些钱，可是请不要误了功课。

No teacher can approve of cheating in exams.

任何教师都不能允许考试作弊。