The move, which takes immediate effect, also halts the issuance of new visas to South Sudanese passport holders.
In a strongly worded statement released on April 5, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused South Sudan's leadership of exploiting the goodwill of the United States by refusing to accept the return of its nationals facing deportation, in line with President Donald Trump's new immigration policy.
'It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,' Rubio stated. 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.'
He added that all countries must accept the return of their citizens when they are subject to removal, and that South Sudan's failure to do so has prompted this sweeping visa ban. The State Department says it will reconsider the measures only when South Sudan fully complies with deportation processes.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions in South Sudan, where renewed fighting has threatened to unravel a fragile peace agreement signed in 2018. On March 8, the U.S. ordered all non-emergency staff to leave its embassy in Juba, citing security concerns due to escalating regional violence.
South Sudanese nationals living in the U.S. had been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), allowing them to remain in the country temporarily due to instability back home. That protection is set to expire by May 3, unless renewed.
South Sudan, which became the world's newest country in 2011 after seceding from Sudan, has struggled with chronic instability. A brutal civil war broke out in 2013 following political tensions between President Salva Kiir and his then-deputy Riek Machar, leaving over 400,000 people dead.
Although the 2018 peace deal brought an end to the large-scale conflict, key provisionsâ€"including national elections, constitutional reforms, and the unification of armed forcesâ€"remain unfulfilled. Sporadic violence continues in several regions, undermining efforts to bring lasting peace.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/u-s-cancels-all-visas-for-south-sudanese-citizens
