The United States has canceled all visas held by South Sudanese citizens and barred new issuance’s, a move announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday as tensions flare over immigration compliance and escalating violence in the African nation.
Rubio accused South Sudan’s transitional government of failing to accept its deported citizens, a practice he said undermines US immigration laws. “Every nation must promptly take back its people when another country, including the US, orders their removal,” Rubio said according to Al-Jazeera. “South Sudan has not honored this obligation.”
The decision, effective immediately, marks the first countrywide visa restriction since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025, following a campaign focused on tightening immigration controls. It ends visa access for South Sudanese nationals and reverses a Biden-era policy granting them Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which was due to expire May 3.
TPS offers deportation relief to foreigners unable to return home safely due to conflict or disaster. The Department of Homeland Security estimated in 2023 that about 133 South Sudanese were enrolled in the program, with 140 more eligible, though current figures were not released.
Rubio said the US could reconsider the ban if South Sudan cooperates fully on repatriation. The State Department did not specify how many visas were affected but confirmed the policy applies to all South Sudanese passport holders.
The visa crackdown coincides with growing unrest in South Sudan, where clashes between government forces and opposition groups threaten a return to civil war. The conflict, which killed 400,000 people from 2013 to 2018, appeared to ease with a 2018 peace deal, but recent events have unraveled that progress.
Tensions spiked last month when Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest, a move his party called a violation of the power-sharing agreement with President Salva Kiir. The United Nations reported fighting between their loyalists near Juba, the capital, in recent days.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last week of a “security emergency” in South Sudan, urging global leaders to act before the country—one of the world’s poorest—slips into chaos. “We must stop South Sudan from falling over the abyss,” Guterres said.
South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, has long relied on US aid, receiving $351 million in 2024, according to State Department records. Analysts say the visa ban reflects Washington’s frustration with a government it has supported but now views as uncooperative.
The visa revocation aligns with Trump’s pledge to overhaul immigration policy, a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign. It follows a pattern of tough measures, though no other nation has faced a total visa suspension this term.
Immigration experts noted the timing—amid South Sudan’s turmoil—could complicate humanitarian efforts. “This sends a signal, but it also risks stranding people fleeing violence,” said Sarah Pierce, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.
South Sudanese officials have not responded publicly to the US decision. The State Department declined to comment beyond Rubio’s statement.
