VOA慢速英语2018--美国最高法院批准特朗普旅行禁令

US Supreme¹ Court Approves Trump²'s Travel Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday approved President Donald Trump’s travel ban that targets several Muslim-majority countries. Five of the nine judges – called justices – agreed that the president has authority to limit travel from foreign countries for national security reasons.

Last September, Trump’s government banned most citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen from traveling to the United States. Most North Koreans and some people linked to the Venezuelan government are also banned. A sixth Muslim-majority nation, Chad, also was included in the ban before the Trump administration removed it from the list.

Tuesday’s court decision means the ban will remain in effect. Trump could add more countries to the list.

Opponents of the ban challenged the decision in court. They said the orders were illegal because they targeted Muslims. But a small majority of Supreme Court justices said the challengers did not show the ban violates either U.S. immigration law or the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion statement that Trump’s government had successfully demonstrated national security reasons for the ban. He added that the court would not comment on whether the policy was good.

In a dissent³ statement, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “a reasonable observer” would consider the ban to be “anti-Muslim,” based on evidence in the case. She added that the five justices who approved the ban also turned “a blind eye to the pain and suffering the proclamation inflicts⁵ upon countless⁶ families and individuals, many of whom are U.S. citizens.”

The Supreme Court’s decision is a political victory for Trump. He has defended it as a key part of his immigration policy and part of his “America First” way of governing. Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the president wrote on Twitter, in capital letters: “SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS TRUMP TRAVEL BAN. Wow!”

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Words in This Story

challenge - v. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal

dissent - n. a statement by a judge giving reasons why the judge does not agree with the decision made by the other judges in a court case

proclamation - n. an official statement or announcement made by a person in power or by a government

inflict⁴ - v. to cause someone to experience or be affected⁷ by (something unpleasant or harmful)

uphold - v. to judge to be correct: to decide not to change

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

4 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

5 inflicts   

把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Bullfrog 50 Inflicts poison when your enemy damages you at short range. 牛娃50对近距离攻击你的敌人造成毒伤。
• The U.S. always inflicts its concept of human nature on other nations. 美国总是把自己的人权观念强加于别国。

6 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。