U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed he is revoking all South Sudanese visas because the country failed to accept deportees in "a timely manner."
"I am taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately, due to the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner," Rubio wrote in an X post shared Saturday.
I am taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately, due to the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) April 5, 2025
In a corresponding statement, Rubio stated it was "time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States." South Sudan is the world's newest nation after it gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following a lengthy civil war.
Rubio continued that enforcing immigration laws is "critically important to the national security and public safety" of the U.S. before admonishing the South Sudanese government for failing to "fully respect this principle."
Rubio added the Trump administration "will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation."
The African nation is currently on the brink of another civil war after its First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest by President Salva Kiir for allegedly attempting to start a new rebellion. African Union mediators arrived in the nation's capital, Juba, last week to avoid further escalation, according to reporting by Reuters.
Originally published on Latin Times
