The United States has revoked visas for all South Sudanese passport holders, following the country’s refusal to accept the return of its citizens who were deported from the US. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision over the weekend, condemning South Sudan’s Transitional Government for failing to cooperate in the timely repatriation of its nationals.
This move also includes blocking South Sudanese citizens from entering the US at ports of entry, intensifying the diplomatic standoff between the two nations.
The decision comes amid increasing concerns over South Sudan’s stability, as the country faces the threat of renewed civil conflict. Following a flare-up of violence in March, the US withdrew non-essential personnel from its embassy in Juba, heightening fears that the fragile peace agreement signed in 2018 could collapse. South Sudanese nationals in the US, many of whom were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to the ongoing conflict, now face uncertainty as their status nears expiration in May.
This latest development follows a broader trend of the Trump administration’s strict stance on immigration and deportations. The US has previously clashed with other countries over the return of deported migrants, most notably in the case of Colombia in January. With tensions escalating, the impact of the visa revocation on individuals such as Khaman Maluach, a promising Duke University basketball player from South Sudan, remains unclear, as his university closely monitors the situation.