美国国家公共电台 NPR Seattle Mom Sues Trump To Stop Travel Ban And Bring Her Son Home

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

So when President Trump¹ signed an executive order banning travelers from six majority-Muslim countries from entering the U.S., several states and civil rights groups sued to stop it. So did a 24-year-old mom from suburban² Seattle. Courts have put the travel ban on hold, but she is still fighting to bring her 7-year-old son to the United States from Somalia. NPR's Joel Rose has her story.

JOEL ROSE, BYLINE³: When we sat down at a community center outside Seattle, Juweiya Ali was wearing a headscarf and a long, modest dress. She pulls photos of her son out of her purse. He lives with his grandmother halfway⁴ around the world in Somalia.

JUWEIYA ALI: Isn't he just the cutest thing? He looks a lot like his dad. But he is just so sweet.

ROSE: Juweiya Ali was born in Somalia, but she grew up here and became a U.S. citizen. In high school, she traveled to Somalia with her mother to reconnect with their culture. That's where she met her future husband, and they had a son. Ali eventually returned to the U.S. hoping to bring her family with her, but that's been a long process. She submitted the last piece of paperwork on January 20, the same day as Trump's inauguration⁵.

ALI: So it went from feeling like everything was finally getting close to being done to - it stopped. Like, what do you mean, it stopped? Like, it was heartbreaking.

ROSE: Trump's travel ban prevented thousands of refugees and visa holders⁶ from coming to the U.S. And it drew legal challenges across the country arguing that the ban discriminates⁷ against Muslims. The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project had many clients affected⁸ by the ban, but only a handful joined its lawsuit⁹. Matt Adams is the group's legal director.

MATT ADAMS: Many were very reluctant because they already are so concerned about what's going to happen, and the idea of taking on the federal government and challenging their actions may seem even more daunting¹⁰.

ROSE: The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is accustomed to taking on the federal government. It was already in a dispute with the Department of Justice because it gives immigrants free advice but doesn't necessarily represent them in court. Juweiya Ali didn't hesitate either. She is the lead plaintiff in Ali v. Trump.

ALI: I just felt like it was just very unfair. I felt like I'm no different than anyone else here, that I shouldn't have to suffer, that my family shouldn't have to suffer.

ROSE: The administration argues that a pause on visas for immigrants from Somalia and five other countries is necessary to protect national security. At a hearing in March, the Justice Department's lawyer, Chad Readler, questioned whether any of the plaintiffs would be harmed.

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CHAD READLER: The three-month pause is unlikely to have much, if any, effect on most of the applicants¹¹. None of them under the current system are eligible¹² even to come to this country. Most of them have a number of steps in front of them still.

ROSE: Ali's son is still waiting for an interview at a U.S. consulate¹³, the last step before he gets a visa. Even though the travel ban is on hold, the Trump administration is issuing fewer visas. Ali says it's hard to explain all this to her son when they video chat.

ALI: I can hear that in his voice, and I can see that in his eyes, you know, the confusion. But I just tell him, hey, you know, it's going to be all right. It's going to be fine. And that's all that I can really tell a 7-year-old.

ROSE: Driving around her old neighborhood, Ali talked about how Seattle has changed since Trump's election, how she gets dirty looks and comments at the grocery store. Ali said she felt powerless.

ALI: That's why it felt like this was a straight yes when I got asked because that was going to give me some kind of power over the situation. I felt like I'm - I'm doing something.

ROSE: Ali v. Trump is moving forward while appeals courts decide whether to extend lower court orders blocking Trump's travel ban. Whatever happens, Ali says she sleeps better knowing she's doing all she can for her son. Joel Rose, NPR News, Seattle.

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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 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

5 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

6 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

7 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

8 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。

9 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

10 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

11 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

12 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

13 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。