review of the literature on foreign language interpretation for immigration court proceedings shows very little work has been done in this area. In Canada the Lexique de l’Immigration provides an extensive French-English glossary, (Ottawa: Bureau de la Traduction, Direction de la terminologie et des services linguistiques, 1990), but there is no work similar in scope in the U.S., although there are abundant source materials that can be used as a basis for a compilation of immigration terms. The most voluminous sample of current documents in English and Spanish is a series of press releases from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/).

Lists of words, however, cannot guarantee a good translation or an accurate and complete interpretation. As is sometimes the case with interpreters in other courts, those who work for the Executive Office of Immigration Review will at times translate literally either out of ignorance or because there are no official translations promulgated by a terminology department or a translation office.

In recent months an avalanche of new immigration legislation has made the situation even more difficult for EOIR interpreters. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 introduced new vocabulary and new sets of forms and notices. And the publicity the law and its enforcement has generated has made some functionaries sensitive about the disagreeable tone that words like “expedited removal” carry.

The situation is made difficult because there is no uniform standard for defining the work of court interpreters, or for judging the accuracy of their work. What an interpreter is expected or required to do differs from court to court: in the New York state courts, for example, interpreters sometimes perform tasks that rightly should fall to the clerk or the lawyer, such as swearing in witnesses or helping defendants and their relatives to fill out forms or explaining the contents of forms. Impatient lawyers in state or federal courts may direct the interpreter to dispense with consecutive interpretation, and sometimes judges will allow or direct an interpreter to interpret simultaneously at the witness stand.

There are also translation difficulties because in the encounter between English and Spanish the dominance and prestige of English tends to force translators into linguistic dependence on it in the form of neologisms, calques, and widespread borrowing. In a world dominated by English, Spanish becomes derivative; it drifts toward English in the same degree that the given society assimilates Anglo-American culture. The Spanish novelist Camilo José Cela cautions against this balkanization of Spanish; the Colombian Gabriel García Márquez disingenuously favors it when he advocates dropping the letter “h,” which is not pronounced in Spanish, or omitting the accent marks, which many tend to ignore.

But the truth is that while the general public may disregard the dictates of the Royal Academy, students may welcome the disappearance of the letters h, ll, j, v, and the z or of the accent marks, or Spanish Americanists may critize the dominance of peninsular Spanish, we language specialists cannot. We have to remind ourselves constantly of the nature of the language we are working with: a specialized terminology arising from spoken or written texts that were primarily written to be read.

If one takes into account the added duties of translating foreign documents submitted as exhibits during hearings, as an EOIR’s vacancy announcement states, it is clear that the vocabulary that an interpreter must handle is extremely broad, and that a beginning interpreter with only the minimum qualifications for the job—a four year degree from an accredited college majoring in Spanish or experience in progressively responsible positions in which translating and interpreting have been the major functions—would be hard put to provide exact equivalents in the target language.

Unfortunately, word lists available to immigration interpreters are not very useful; in trying to account for legal terms, regional variants, colloquialisms and slang their reach is broad but superficial, and since they are inevitably unreliable and incomplete they are ultimately ignored.

There are two dictionaries that show improvements over existing compilations: Butterworth’s English Spanish Legal Dictionary (Austin: Butterworth Legal Publishers, 1991), and the Diccionario de términos jurídicos by Enrique Alcaraz Varó and Brian Hugues (Barcelona: Ariel, 1997), now in a second edition. Butterworth’s explains that an “order to show cause” is [una] orden judicial dirigida a una parte para que fundamente su acción o pretensión”—rather long-winded for interpreters who are doing the Master Calendar, it is no wonder they prefer to say orden de mostrar causa. In Varó and Hugues there is no entry for this item, although they define “show cause” as justificar, dar razones o explicaciones, fundamentar jurídicamente una pretensión. One will look in vain, however, for the Spanish equivalents of such terms as “stay of deportation” or “inquiry officer;” their repertory of immigration law terms is limited. We return then to the need, and the responsibility, of interpreters and translators in immigration courts to develop skills as lexicographers and terminologists.

Likewise, a review of the glossary which accompanies The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge Interpreter’s Handbook reveals that a number of equivalents bear improvement: *sostener la objeción, for “sustain the objection,” or *empleado de la corte for “court clerk,” and *acusación formal for “arraignment.”

What leads compilers to equivalents like these? Let us consider an expression found in the new law: the verb “to remove,” used by the authorities to mean to eject someone from the country. Bilingual dictionaries list the verb remover as an equivalent of “to remove.” It is not sufficient, however, to go to a general bilingual dictionary, for no matter how exhaustive, it will not prevent the novice translator from using it improperly as authority for his translations—that’s why we see parking/towaway zone signs in front of business establishments which read: no estacione: violadores serán removidos (for estacionamiento prohibido/se usará grúa). Lest we think this is more amusing than harmful, consider the plight of the New Jersey welfare official who ran into trouble this year when his office mailed 100,000 copies of a letter, at a cost of 18,000 dollars—and which after loud protests from the community he had to correct and mail again—containing wrong translations such as violador bajo palabra for “parole violator,” which a newspaper gleefully pointed out translates as “rapist under oath” (the translator could have used a transposition of the type noun=verb to render the English expression as: quien no cumpla con las condiciones de libertad condicional/quien no se sujete a las condiciones de libertad condicional).

How can translations be improved?

• Check your translation with specialized bilingual and monolingual dictionaries.

• Use as sources texts of the laws and books on legal procedure in both languages: Mexico has a Guía del extranjero (Porrúa, 1984); Spain has a Ley y reglamento de extranjería (Madrid: Imprenta Nacional del Boletín Oficial del Estado, 1991), etc.

• Question authority. The otherwise reliable Alfonso Torrents dels Prats in his Diccionario de dificultades del inglés (Barcelona: Editorial Juventud, 1976) renders “national” as súbdito, natural, nacional and ciudadano, and declares: when it comes to translating “national,” some translators seem to have qualms about using the word súbdito, which is the most traditional of the four given. Of course those translators will not hesitate to translate “British subject” as súbdito británico, because they think that súbditos are the citizens of a monarchy. But in good Spanish we refer to a súbdito inglés but we can just as well refer to a súbdito italiano. Is Torrents dels Prats right? Not when it comes to translating for immigration court in the U.S., where nacional is a safer choice.

• Think about your technique: Are you guilty of the following: “I looked it up in the dictionary and that’s what it says;” “I looked it up and it’s not in the dictionary,” “If I say it like this they’re not going to understand,” and “That’s not how we say it in my country.”

Vocabulary of the IIRIRA

abused immigrant spouses cónyuges inmigrantes maltratadas; víctimas de abusos; víctimas de malos tratos

advance parole libertad condicional anticipada

advice of rights (Form I-294) aviso de derechos; notificación de derechos (Formulario I-294)

advisal of rights aviso de derechos; notificación de derechos

affirmative asylum process proceso de asilo afirmativo

aggregate term of imprisonment pena de prisión total; periodo total de reclusión

alternate order of removal orden reemplazante de traslado forzoso

annual limit límite anual

Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act Ley de Antiterrorismo y Aplicación de la Pena de Muerte

applicant solicitante

applicant appears genuinely afraid of persecution el solicitante manifiesta un temor genuino de persecución

applicant for admission solicitante de admisión

applicant for political asylum solicitante de asilo político

application solicitud

application for admission solicitud de admisión

application for adjustment of status solicitud de cambio de clasificación

application for cancellation of removal for certain permanent residents EOIR 42-A solicitud de cancelación del traslado para ciertos residentes permanentes EOIR 42-A

application for cancellation of removal for certain non-permanent residents EOIR 42-B solicitud de cancelación del traslado para ciertos residentes no permanentes EOIR 42-B

arrival categories categorías de llegada

arrival date fecha de llegada; fecha de arribo

arriving alien extranjero que llega

Article 3 of the Torture Convention artículo 3 de la Convención sobre la Tortura

asylee asilado

asylee application petición de asilo; solicitud de asilo

asylee status condición de asilado

asylum officer funcionario encargado de solicitudes de asilo

Attorney General of the US Procurador General de Justicia de los EEUU, Ministro de Justicia de los EEUU

authorized fingerprinting center centro autorizado de huellas digitales

authorized fingerprinting office oficina autorizada de huellas digitales

automated nationwide system for immigration review sistema nacional automatizado para la revisión de inmigración

automated scheduling programación automatizada

bars to asylum impedimentos al asilo

battered golpeado, golpeada

battered child niño golpeado

battered spouse esposa golpeada

battered spouse/child relief reparación para la esposa o niño golpeados

battered spouse waiver exención para la esposa golpeada

central address file archivo central de direcciones

changed circumstances circunstancias distintas, diferentes

claimed status review revisión de la condición reclamada

clear and convincing evidence prueba clara y convincente

clear, convincing and unequivocal evidence prueba inequívoca, clara y convincente

clearly and beyond a doubt claramente y más allá de una duda

conditional grant otorgamiento condicional

considered a danger to the community considerado un peligro para la comunidad

contempt of court contumacia; rebeldía; desacato

continuance residence residencia continua

continuous physical presence presencia física continua

credible fear review revisión del temor creíble

crewman tripulante

criminal aliens extranjeros delincuentes

custody redetermination hearing audiencia de redeterminación de custodia

defensive asylum process proceso de asilo defensivo

deferred action acción diferida

deferred sentence sentencia diferida; sentencia suspendida; dictado de pena diferido

derivative status condición derivativa

discretionary relief reparación discrecional

diversion program programa educativo o de trabajo para reos bajo régimen de libertad condicional

employment authorization document documento de autorización de empleo

entitled to be admitted con derecho a ser admitido

establish eligibility as a refugee establecer el derecho a la condición de refugiado

exceptional circumstances circunstancias excepcionales

exercise of discretion ejercicio de la discreción

expedited hearing audiencia sin demora

expedited removal proceeding procedimiento de traslado expedito; proceso de traslado expedito

extreme cruelty crueldad extrema

extreme hardship privación, sufrimiento, adversidad, necesidad, opresión extrema

factual allegations alegaciones de hechos; aserciones de hechos

Family Unity Program Programa de Unidad Familiar

firmly resettled firmemente restablecido

forensic document analysis análisis forense de documentos

forensic document laboratory laboratorio forense de documentos

forms of relief formas de reparaciones

frivolous asylum application solicitud de asilo sin mérito; insuficiente; sin fundamento jurídico

gender related persecution persecución relacionada con el género

having been found removable habiendo sido encontrado sujeto a traslado forzoso

Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act Ley de Reforma a la Inmigración Ilegal y de Responsabilidad del Inmigrante

immigration officer agente de inmigración; oficial de inmigración

improper purpose propósito indebido

in absentia order orden en ausencia

inadmisible alien extranjero inadmisible

interactive scheduling programación interactiva

lawful permanent resident residente permanente legal

lawful permanent residence residencia legal permanente

lawfully admitted admitido legalmente

list of free legal service providers lista de proveedores de servicios legales gratuitos

lottery lotería

maintenance of status and departure bond caución relacionada con la conservación de la condición y la salida

mandatory detention detención obligatoria

message for toll-free number mensaje para número sin cargo

moral turpitude torpeza moral; conducta inmoral

motion for termination petición de resolución

naturalization ceremonies ceremonias de naturalización

naturalization court tribunal de naturalización

naturalization papers carta de naturalización

non-disclosure of record of proceeding no divulgación del acta del procedimiento

nondisclosure proceeding procedimiento sin divulgación del acta

non-immigrant no inmigrante

non-immigrant exchange alien extranjero bajo programa de intercambio no inmigrante

non-immigrant exchange visitor visitante bajo programa de intercambio no inmigrante

notice of asylum-only hearing aviso de audiencia sólo para asilo

notice of consequences for failure to surrender to the Immigration and Naturalization Service for removal from the United States aviso sobre las consecuencias de no entregarse al Servicio de Inmigración y Naturalización para ser trasladado fuera de los Estados Unidos

notice of consequences for failure to appear aviso de las consecuencias de incomparecencia

notice of consequences for knowingly filing a frivolous asylum application aviso sobre las consecuencias de a sabiendas presentar una solicitud de asilo sin mérito; insuficiente; sin fundamento jurídico

notice of consequences for failure to depart aviso sobre las consecuencias de no cumplir con la orden de salida

notice of deportation hearing aviso de audiencia de deportación

notice of hearing of deportation notificación de audiencia de deportación

notice of intent to issue a final administrative deportation order (form I-851) aviso de intención de expedir una orden administrativa final de de deportación (formulario I-851)

notice of intent to rescind notificación de intención de rescindir

notice of intention to rescind and request for hearing by alien aviso de intención de rescindir y petición de audiencia del extranjero

notice of privilege of counsel aviso del privilegio a la asistencia de abogado

notice of referral aviso de remisión

notice of referral to immigration judge aviso de remisión a un juez de inmigración

notice of removal hearing aviso de audiencia de traslado forzoso

notice of review of claimed status aviso de revisión de la condición reclamada

notice to alien detained for exclusion hearing (Form I-122) aviso al extranjero detenido para una audiencia de exclusión (Formulario I-122)

notice to appear aviso de comparecer; citación a comparecer

notice to appear for removal proceedings aviso de comparecer en el procedimiento de traslado forzoso

one year rule regla de un año

parole admisión condicional; libertad bajo palabra

parole admitir condicionalmente

parole someone into the U.S. admitir a alguien condicionalmente en los EEUU

parole board junta de admisión condicional

paroled aliens extranjeros admitidos condicionalmente

parolee admitido condicionalmente

particularly serious crime crimen; delito particularmente grave

penalty pena, sanción, sanción penal, multa

plausible in light of country conditions creíble, dadas las condiciones del país; verosímil, dadas las condiciones del país

preclude precluir; impedir; prevenir

prima facie eligibility idoneidad, capacidad prima facie

record of negative credible fear finding and request for review by immigration judge (I- 869) acta de fallo negativo sobre temor creíble y petición de revisión por un juez de inmigración (I-869)

record of proceeding (ROP) acta del procedimiento

records check verificación, inspección, comprobación, repaso, examen, compulsa, cotejo de los archivos, de las actas, de los documentos

refugee refugiado

refugee status condición de refugiado; calidad de refugiado

removable alien extranjero sujeto a traslado forzoso

removal traslado [al país de procedencia] traslado forzoso, repatriación, expulsión

removal hearing audiencia de traslado forzoso

removal of inadmissible and deportable aliens traslado de extranjeros deportables e inadmisibles

removal proceeding procedimiento de traslado

removal process proceso de traslado; proceso de expulsión

remove trasladar; deportar; expulsar

remove at government expense repatriar a expensas del gobierno

remove from a vessel or aircraft hacer bajar a tierra de un barco o aeronave

remove undocumented aliens repatriar extranjeros indocumentados

reserved decision decisión reservada

safe third country tercer país seguro

sanctions for contemptuous conduct sanciones por contumacia

significant possibility posibilidad significativa

special rule for battered spouses regla especial para esposas maltratadas

State Department response respuesta del Departamento de Estado

submit documents presentar documentos

supplemental asylum application solicitud de asilo suplementaria

surrender for removal presentarse; personarse; entregarse para el traslado

swear in citizens tomar el juramento a los que adquieren la ciudadanía; ratificar la protesta del que solicita la ciudadanía; juramentar a quien adquiere la ciudadanía

swearing-in ceremony ceremonia de juramento; ceremonia de jura de bandera; jura de bandera

swearing-in session sesión de jura; sesión de juramento

temporary protected status condición protegida provisional

transitional period custody rules reglas de custodia del período de transición

vacated anulado; revocado; cancelado; rescindido

visa waiver pilot program programa piloto de exención de visa

visa waiver pilot program agreement (Form I-775) acuerdo conforme al programa piloto de exención de visa (Formulario I-775)

voluntary departure salida voluntaria

voluntary departure at the conclusion of proceedings salida voluntaria al concluir el proceso

voluntary departure bond caución de salida voluntaria

voluntary departure order orden de salida voluntaria

voluntary departure prior to completion of proceedings salida voluntaria previa a la conclusión del proceso

voluntary removal salida voluntaria; traslado voluntario

warning regarding knowingly filing a frivolous asylum application advertencia acerca de presentar a sabiendas una solicitud de asilo sin fundamento jurídico

withholding of deportation aplazamiento de la deportación

withholding of removal aplazamiento del traslado

Dagoberto Orrantia (orrantia@najit.org) teaches court interpreting and translation at John Jay College, City University of New York.