The United States has revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and suspended the issuance of new visas. This measure responds to South Sudan’s failure to accept the repatriation of its citizens expelled from the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the transitional government in Juba is “taking advantage of the United States” by not cooperating with international obligations to accept the return of its nationals. He emphasized that every country must accept the timely return of its citizens when another nation seeks to remove them. The U.S. is prepared to review these actions once South Sudan demonstrates full cooperation.
This decision marks the first instance of the current administration, under President Donald Trump, targeting all passport holders from a specific country since Trump’s return to office on January 20. The move aligns with the administration’s broader efforts to enforce stricter immigration policies.
South Sudan, the world’s newest and one of its poorest countries, has been experiencing heightened political tensions. Observers fear a potential return to civil war, reminiscent of the conflict that resulted in 400,000 deaths between 2013 and 2018.
Previously, South Sudanese nationals had been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by the administration of former President Joe Biden, with the designation set to expire on May 3, 2025. The Department of Homeland Security reported that approximately 133 South Sudanese were in the United States under the TPS program, with another 140 eligible to apply. However, the current administration has begun overturning TPS designations, including revoking protection from more than 600,000 Venezuelans in January.
This action against South Sudanese nationals also follows an increase in the number of Africans attempting to enter the U.S. via its southern border, seeking alternatives to perilous routes into Europe.
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