US Revokes Visas For South Sudanese Passport Holders Over Deportation Dispute

The United States has revoked all visas previously issued to holders of South Sudanese passports, citing the East African nation’s alleged refusal to cooperate in accepting deported citizens.

This move, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also includes a ban on South Sudanese nationals from entering the US at all ports of entry.

Rubio accused South Sudan’s transitional government of failing to meet its international obligations by refusing to accept its own deported nationals. “Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” he said.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau highlighted a specific case that reportedly triggered the diplomatic fallout. According to Landau, South Sudan declined to admit a deportee believed to be a South Sudanese citizen after officials in Juba determined the individual was from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Despite this, Landau noted that South Sudan had cooperated in the repatriation of several other citizens, with only two individuals—allegedly not South Sudanese—being refused entry.

Tied to Trump-Era Immigration Policy

The visa revocation decision aligns with the broader immigration stance of the Trump administration, which has emphasized the deportation of undocumented immigrants and restricted pathways for immigration. South Sudanese nationals in the US had previously benefited from Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to instability in their home country, but that protection is set to expire on May 3, further complicating their legal status.

Rising Concerns Over South Sudan’s Stability

The visa action comes at a time of mounting concern over South Sudan’s fragile peace. Since gaining independence in 2011, the country has struggled with intermittent conflict. A civil war that began in 2013 claimed over 400,000 lives before a peace agreement in 2018 paused large-scale fighting. However, key elements of the agreement—such as the drafting of a new constitution and the formation of unified security forces—remain unimplemented. Recent outbreaks of violence have raised fears of a return to conflict, prompting the US to evacuate non-essential staff from its embassy in Juba.

South Sudan Responds

In a statement released on Monday, April 7, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the claim that it refused to accept one of its citizens. The ministry clarified that the individual at the centre of the dispute, identified by US authorities as Nimeri Garang, was in fact a Congolese national named Makula Kintu.

According to spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen, Kintu presented a fraudulent South Sudanese travel document and was denied entry after verification processes confirmed his Congolese nationality. “In accordance with our immigration protocols, he was not admitted and was returned to the sending country for further processing,” Mayen said.

The ministry emphasized its ongoing cooperation with US immigration authorities, stating that it has already accepted 21 of 23 individuals identified for repatriation. The only exceptions were Kintu and another individual confirmed to be from Sudan.

To further clarify the issue, South Sudanese authorities confirmed that the real Nimeri Garang is scheduled to arrive in Juba on May 13 via Egypt Air.

South Sudan expressed regret over the misunderstanding and reiterated its commitment to working with the US in accordance with international norms. “We remain open to constructive dialogue and affirm our responsibility to receive all bona fide nationals,” the statement concluded.