The United States has revoked all visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders and suspended any further issuance, citing South Sudan’s refusal to accept the return of its citizens who are subject to deportation from the U.S.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move, stating it was a response to South Sudan’s lack of cooperation in repatriating its nationals. “Effective immediately, all visas held by South Sudanese citizens are being cancelled, and no new visas will be issued,” Rubio declared. “We will be prepared to revisit this decision once South Sudan fully cooperates.”
The decision is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to enforce immigration policies more aggressively. It has warned that countries unwilling to facilitate deportations will face consequences such as visa restrictions and potential trade penalties.
Rubio emphasized that every nation has a responsibility to take back its citizens in a timely manner. “It’s time for South Sudan’s transitional government to stop exploiting the United States,” he added.
The South Sudanese embassy in Washington has not yet responded to the development.
This diplomatic move comes as tensions escalate in South Sudan. African Union mediators arrived in Juba this week for talks aimed at preventing renewed civil conflict, following the house arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar.
Machar, a former rebel leader during the 2013–2018 civil war, has been accused by President Salva Kiir’s administration of attempting to incite another rebellion. His detention follows a recent outbreak of violence in the Upper Nile region, where government forces clashed with the White Army militia.
Although Machar’s faction was previously aligned with the White Army during the last civil war, it denies any current affiliation.
The 2013–2018 conflict, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, was deeply rooted in ethnic divisions — with President Kiir, a Dinka, supported by fellow Dinka fighters, and Machar, a Nuer, backed by Nuer forces.
