Drive-Up Service Helps Some Take Final Step to US Citizenship

待在車上就能成為美國公民？！

The coronavirus health crisis has led to delays for thousands of people wanting to become citizens of the United States.

新冠疫情的爆發耽誤了成千上萬想成為美國公民的人的入籍過程。

The federal agency that processes citizenship requests, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS, suspended its in-person services in March.

負責處理公民身份申請的聯邦機構美國公民及移民服務局（USCIS）于今年3月暫停了線下服務。

At that time, the agency said there were about 110,000 people waiting to complete the final steps to citizenship.

該機構表示，當時大約有11萬人在等待完成獲得公民身份的最后一步。

The process of becoming a U.S. citizen is known as “naturalization”. The final step in this process is to take an oath of loyalty to the country at an official ceremony.

成為美國公民的過程被稱為“入籍”。這一過程的最后一步是在官方儀式上宣誓效忠美國。

Some individuals have been able to complete the process by taking part in an unusual drive-up ceremony.

有些人通過參加了一個不尋常的免下車儀式完成了這一步驟。

The drive-up events are designed with physical distancing in mind to protect people from the coronavirus.

免下車活動使人們保持一定的距離，以避免他們感染新冠病毒。

Those taking part are required to wear face coverings. People remain in their vehicles while taking the citizenship oath.

參加者必須戴口罩。人們在宣誓入籍時仍待在車內。

A government official stands a safe distance away to complete the swearing-in process.

一位政府官員站在安全距離之外完成宣誓過程。

One such ceremony took place recently in a parking garage near a federal office building in Detroit, Michigan.

該儀式最近在密歇根州底特律市聯邦辦公樓附近的一個停車場舉行。

When 60-year-old Anita Rosenberger entered the garage, she was a British citizen.

當60歲的安妮塔·羅森伯格開車進車庫的時候，她還是英國公民。

Thirty minutes later, after taking the oath, she drove away as a U.S. citizen.

三十分鐘后，當她參加完宣誓儀式后，她以美國公民的身份開車離開了該地。

“It was a nice experience in spite of the fact that I was in the car by myself with a mask on,” Rosenberger said. “And I will say that I will remember this.”

羅森伯格說：“盡管我是一個人戴著口罩坐在車里，但這仍然是一次很好的經歷。我會銘記那一刻。”

Similar drive-up ceremonies are being held across the country, but possibly not for much longer.

全國各地都在舉行類似的免下車儀式，但可能不會持續太久。

USCIS says a budget crisis could force the agency to temporarily release nearly three-fourths of its workforce. If this happens, it could further delay the final citizenship steps for tens of thousands of people.

USCIS表示，預算危機可能迫使該機構暫時解雇近四分之三的員工。如果這種事情發生，可能會進一步推遲數萬人入籍的最后程序。

The citizenship agency has not explained how it will operate if it does not get $1.2 billion from Congress before August 3.

該機構并沒有解釋如果不能在8月3日之前從國會得到12億美元的援助，它將如何運作下去。

It told The Associated Press that “all USCIS operations will be impacted” by the release of more than 13,000 workers.

該機構對美聯社表示，1.3萬多名工被解雇后，“所有美國移民局的業務都將受到影響”。

USCIS receives nearly all its $4.8 billion budget from fees it collects from people who seek to live or work in the country.

該機構48億美元的預算幾乎全部來自那些想在美國居住或工作的人的收費。

The agency is already getting less money after President Donald Trump’s administration ordered restrictions on immigration.

在特朗普政府下令限制移民后，該機構得到的資金已經減少。

The agency said effects of COVID-19 had reduced the amount by half.

該組織表示，新冠病毒的影響已使該收入減少了一半。

The administration also stopped some programs – including a recent halt on H-1B visas for skilled workers – that provide an important source of money for USCIS.

特朗普政府還停止了為美國移民局提供重要資金來源的一些項目，包括最近暫停向技術工人發放H-1B簽證。

Some in Congress have pushed to permit virtual swearing-in ceremonies, but the agency has so far refused.

一些國會議員提議允許網上宣誓儀式，但該機構至今仍不接受這一形式。

Citizenship groups have warned that the citizenship delays could limit the rights of thousands of voters in the country’s elections later this year.

公民團體警告稱，推遲入籍可能會限制今年晚些時候該國選舉時數千名選民的權利。

Time limits for election registration are nearing in some states. Individuals seeking to vote must be citizens when they register or risk facing criminal charges or possible deportation, the groups say.

在一些州，選舉登記的期限已經臨近。這些組織說，尋求投票的個人在登記時必須是公民，否則將面臨刑事指控或可能被驅逐出境。