加州中央谷地移民执法加强引争议：Bakersfield逮捕量升至每日近10起
据路透社10月31日报道，联邦移民执法人员近几周遍布位于加利福尼亚州克恩县的 Bakersfield 一带中央谷地农业区，在拉丁裔社区引发恐慌，并在一个可能左右联邦众议院控制权的摇摆选区招致「选民恐吓」指控。
国土安全部（DHS）的初步数据显示，在 Bakersfield，移民逮捕量从今年大部分时间的每日约1起，升至10月中旬的每日近10起。在附近人口约2.6万的 Wasco，移民与海关执法局（ICE）在短短几天内逮捕了至少7人。联合农场工人工会（United Farm Workers）表示，近几周有数百名加州农场工人被拘留。
路透社看到的一封内部邮件显示，这轮加州增援在10月初就已向探员宣布；一名美国官员称，行动由白宫下令。与 Minneapolis、Chicago 等大城市出动数百名武装蒙面探员的做法不同，这轮行动以小队探员在农业城镇之间流动的方式进行，逮捕发生在住所外、繁忙路口、商场停车场、加油站和学校附近。
争议的焦点是加州第22国会选区：该选区包含 Bakersfield，拉丁裔居民占73%。民调显示，民主党候选人 Randy Villegas 略微领先已连任六届的共和党现任众议员 David Valadao。Villegas 上周对记者说，这些逮捕是「在选举前恐吓我们社区的非常明确的企图」。
Valadao 则发表声明称，他理解移民执法给社区家庭带来的恐惧与不确定性，敦促特朗普政府「优先移除对公共安全构成威胁的个人」；他还表示 ICE 在当地以犯罪分子为目标，同时承认在某些个案中做得过头，但拒绝举例。国土安全部以探员安全为由拒绝评论加州的行动，也没有回应恐吓指控。白宫发言人 Lauren Bis 发表声明称，特朗普的议程让西班牙裔美国人「更繁荣、更安全」，并把 ICE 在加州行动的问题转交国土安全部。
加州大学圣迭戈分校「透明与可信选举中心」共同主任 Thad Kousser 说：「按所有指标，这都应该是一个非常接近的选区。任何把选民推向或推离投票站的因素都可能产生影响。」路透社与 Ipsos 上月的民调显示，西班牙裔美国人对特朗普表现的支持率仅为24%，是其两个总统任期中的最低点。
联合农场工人工会全国副主席 Elizabeth Strater 对路透社表示，近几周被拘留的农场工人绝大多数没有犯罪记录，其中一些人持有合法工作许可。当地农场工人 Maribel Ramirez 说，一些拥有美国公民身份的年轻西班牙裔告诉她，他们害怕去投票，担心这会暴露没有合法身份的家庭成员的住址。Bakersfield 的理发店主 Ana Valencia 说，街上的人明显变少，一些商家开始为不敢出门的居民提供免费送货；她已经提前投了票。
下周二（11月3日）的中期选举将决定国会两院控制权，共和党正努力保住在众议院和参议院的多数。
ICE Surge in California's Central Valley Draws Voter-Intimidation Charges: Bakersfield Arrests Near 10 a Day
Federal immigration agents have fanned out in recent weeks across California's Central Valley farm country around Bakersfield, in Kern County, stirring fear in Latino communities and allegations of voter intimidation in a toss-up congressional race that could help decide control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Reuters reported on October 31.
In Bakersfield, immigration arrests jumped from about one a day for much of the year to nearly 10 per day in mid-October, according to preliminary Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data. In nearby Wasco, home to just 26,000 people, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested at least seven people in the span of a few days. The United Farm Workers union said it knew of hundreds of California farmworkers detained in recent weeks.
The planned surge in California was announced to agents in early October, an internal email seen by Reuters shows, and was directed by the White House, according to a U.S. official. Unlike past operations in big cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago, the surge has been carried out by small groups of officers moving from town to town, with arrests outside homes and at busy intersections, in strip-mall parking lots, gas stations and near schools.
The focus of the dispute is California's 22nd congressional district, which includes Bakersfield and is 73 percent Latino. Polls have shown Democrat Randy Villegas with a slight edge over six-term Republican incumbent David Valadao. Villegas told reporters last week that the arrests were a 'very clear attempt to try and intimidate our communities before this election.'
Valadao said in a statement that he understood 'the fear and uncertainty immigration enforcement has created for families throughout our communities,' urging the Trump administration to 'prioritize the removal of individuals who pose a threat to public safety.' He has said ICE is targeting criminals in the community, while acknowledging the agency had gone too far in some cases without giving examples. DHS declined to comment on the California operations, citing concerns for officer safety, and did not respond to the intimidation allegations. White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis said in a statement that Trump's agenda had made Hispanic Americans 'more prosperous and safer,' and referred questions on ICE operations in California to DHS.
'By all metrics, this should be a very close district,' said Thad Kousser, co-director of UC San Diego's Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections. 'Anything that drives voters to or away from the polls could matter.' A Reuters/Ipsos survey last month found just 24 percent of Hispanic Americans approve of Trump's performance, the lowest share in either of his presidential terms.
United Farm Workers national vice president Elizabeth Strater told Reuters that the vast majority of farmworkers detained in recent weeks had no criminal records and some had legal work authorization. Local farmworker Maribel Ramirez said some young Hispanics with U.S. citizenship had told her they were scared to vote, fearing it could expose the addresses of family members without legal status. Ana Valencia, who owns a barber shop in Bakersfield, said there are fewer people on the streets and some local businesses are offering free delivery to those afraid to leave their homes; she said she voted early.
Tuesday's midterm elections (November 3) will decide control of both chambers of Congress, with Republicans fighting to retain their House and Senate majorities.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图：加州中央谷地农田航拍（Kings County，资料图）。Kingofthedead 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Aerial view of farmland in California's Central Valley (Kings County, file photo). Photo by Kingofthedead, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
