VOA慢速英语--美国将六个国家列入签证限制名单

Six Countries Added to Visa Restrictions¹ List

By Mario Ritter Jr.

07 February 2020

The United States will begin restricting visas to citizens from six other countries on February 21, although critics question the move.

The six countries are Myanmar, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania.

The administration of President Donald Trump² is adding them to existing travel restrictions for national security reasons.

The U.S. government already has travel restrictions on some citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea.

The Trump administration announced the expanded travel restrictions last week. In a statement, acting³ Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf spoke⁴ about the bans. He said: "It is logical and essential to thoroughly⁵ screen and vet⁶ everyone seeking to travel or immigrate⁷ to the United States."

Wolf noted⁸ that some of the listed countries do not provide the necessary information about their travelers. As a result, he added, they represent a national security or public safety risk.

People from the six countries added to the list will no longer be able to travel to the United States using immigrant visas. They may, however, ask for special permission, known as a waiver.

Immigrant visas are given to people who want to live permanently⁹ in the United States. Such persons usually must be guaranteed financial support from family members who are U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents.

The ban does not affect people who have already received a visa and are planning to enter the United States. Visas will continue to be given to tourists, business travelers and those seeking medical treatment.

Critics unhappy

Toyin Falola is from Nigeria and a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Falola said, "For an administration concerned about security threats, favoring temporary visitors over more permanent ones...makes little sense."

Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday. The Nigerian diplomat¹⁰ said he had been "blindsided" by the travel restrictions. But he promised to increase security cooperation with the U.S. government.

Nigeria has Africa's largest economy and the largest population of any country on the continent. Nigeria also has a large diaspora community living in the United States.

Onyeama admitted that his country is dealing¹¹ with security threats, which include the militant¹² group Boko Haram. Violence by its fighters have displaced millions of Nigerians.

Most citizens of Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar also are barred from getting immigrant visas.

The State Department says a U.S. citizen can request an immigrant visa for that person's husband or wife, a son, daughter, parent, brother or sister. A permanent resident holds what is commonly called a "green card," which enables the person to legally live in the country. A green card holder¹³ can request an immigrant visa for a husband or wife, and an unmarried son or daughter.

Information from the Migration¹⁴ Policy Institute shows that about two-thirds of "green cards" are the result of family sponsorship.

Dany Bahar follows economic and development programs at the Brookings Institution, a research group based in Washington D.C. He says that if the new visa restrictions become normal, they could cause problems for Africa.

"If you want people to be better off, let them move to places where they can be more productive," he said. Restricting travel "will also keep talented people from coming to the U.S.," Bahar added.

Words in This Story

logical –adj. something that is sensible or reasonable

essential –adj. very important, very necessary

screen –v. to examine something or someone to decide if it is suitable

vet –v. to investigate someone to find out if they can be approved for a job

sponsor v. to take responsibility for someone

resident –n. a person who lives in a certain place

diaspora –n. a group of people who live outside of the area where they had lived for a long time

talented –adj. a person with special abilities

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

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 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

6 vet   

n.兽医，退役军人；vt.检查

参考例句：

• I took my dog to the vet.我把狗带到兽医诊所看病。
• Someone should vet this report before it goes out.这篇报道发表之前应该有人对它进行详查。

7 immigrate   

v.（从外国）移来，移居入境

参考例句：

• 10,000 people are expected to immigrate in the next two years.接下来的两年里预计有10，000人会移民至此。
• Only few plants can immigrate to the island.只有很少的植物能够移植到这座岛上。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

10 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

13 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

14 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。