寻求加入美国家庭的古巴人面临长期拖延

Cubans Seeking to Join Family in US Face Long Delays

Many Cubans seeking visas to join family members in the United States are facing long delays linked to processing problems.

U.S. officials say about 20,000 visa applications have built up in the government's Family Reunification Program. The program permits Cubans living legally in the U.S. to bring close family members from Cuba into the country.

The reunification program was effectively suspended in 2017 by the administration of President Donald Trump¹. The suspension was linked to the withdrawal² of American diplomatic workers. The workers were pulled out of Cuba after a series of mysterious health incidents affected³ diplomatic workers there.

U.S. officials suspected the diplomats⁴ might have been targeted in some kind of attack – possibly from a foreign power – involving energy from radio waves. But U.S. intelligence officials now say the incidents were likely not the result of attacks.

The administration of President Joe Biden said in April it planned to restart the Family Reunification Program. But it has not set a date for increasing the number of U.S. diplomats in Cuba.

This means that family members waiting to leave Cuba will have to keep waiting for now.

Among those awaiting visas are family members of Roberto De la Yglesia. He left most of his family behind when he came to the U.S. with his only son in 2015. At the time, he hoped he would be able to bring his wife and daughters over soon after.

But years later, the mechanical engineer living in the northeastern state of New Jersey⁵ is still waiting to bring the rest of his family over.

"My life is on pause," Roberto's wife, Danmara Triana, told The Associated Press. She lives in the coastal⁶ city of Cienfuegos with her 21-year-old daughter Claudia and her 7-year-old daughter Alice.

"My day-to-day life hangs on this, to see my son, to see my husband," Triana said. The 48-year-old accountant repeatedly visits the website of the U.S. Embassy in Havana for news about the application process.

"I get up in the morning and look at the telephone. Will I have an interview (for a visa) or won't I have an interview?" Triana said.

U.S. officials told Triana in 2017 that the family qualified⁷ for the Family Reunification Program. By 2020, they believed they had finished all the required paperwork and paid all application costs. But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, slowing the visa issuing process even further.

The withdrawal of diplomats was only one of many steps the Trump administration took to isolate⁸ Cuba. The steps halted policies by former President Barack Obama that established closer ties.

Among more than 200 measures enacted⁹ by Trump were a ban on cruise ships, limits on money sent from the U.S. and restrictions¹⁰ on American visitors. Biden has announced that he plans to undo¹¹ some – but not all – of the Trump administration measures.

With diplomatic operations slowed in Havana, U.S. officials have urged Cubans to seek visas in Guyana, on the South American mainland. But that choice is costly¹² and unrealistic for most visa seekers in Cuba.

Words in This Story

application – n. a formal and usually written request for something (such as a job, admission to a school, a loan, etc.)

pause – v. to stop doing something for a short time

interview – n. a meeting in which someone asks you questions to see if you are qualified for a job or position

qualify – v. to be permitted to do or have something

isolate – v. to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others

cruise ship – n. a large ship that people travel on for pleasure

1 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。

2 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

3 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。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

7 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

8 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

9 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

10 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

11 undo   

vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销

参考例句：

• His pride will undo him some day.他的傲慢总有一天会毁了他。
• I managed secretly to undo a corner of the parcel.我悄悄地设法解开了包裹的一角。

12 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。