WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday the United States is revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, accusing the country’s transitional government of refusing to accept its repatriated citizens deported by the Trump administration.
It marks the first time the Trump administration has singled out passport holders of an individual country as President Donald Trump warns nations to accept migrants deported from the United States.
“It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,” Rubio said in a statement. ”Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them.”
Rubio said the United States will also stop issuing visas to South Sudanese passport holders to prevent their entry into the United States.
“We will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation,” he said.
The Biden administration granted South Sudanese nationals Temporary Protected Status in 2023, with the designation set to expire May 3. About 155 South Sudanese are in the United States under the TPS program.
Rubio’s announcement comes amid fears South Sudan could return to civil war. African Union mediators arrived in South Sudan’s capital Juba this week for talks aimed at averting a new civil war in the country after its First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest last week.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s government has accused Machar, a longtime rival who led rebel forces during a 2013-18 war that killed hundreds of thousands, of trying to stir up a new rebellion.
Contributing: Reuters.
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