Washington: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States is revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders. Rubio accused South Sudan’s government of failing to cooperate in the repatriation of its nationals, alleging that the African nation is ‘taking advantage of the United States’.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Rubio emphasized that every country must accept the return of its citizens when another nation seeks to deport them. He noted that South Sudan’s transitional government has not adhered to this principle. Consequently, the U.S. will also halt the issuance of new visas to South Sudanese passport holders to prevent their entry into the United States.
This action marks the first instance of such a measure targeting passport holders from a specific country since President Donald Trump resumed office on January 20, under an anti-immigration campaign. South Sudanese nationals had previously been granted ‘temporary protected status’ (TPS) by former President Joe Biden’s administration, a designation set to expire on May 3. TPS is extended to foreign citizens who are unable to safely return to their home country due to war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances.
Rubio stated that the U.S. is prepared to reconsider these actions once South Sudan fully cooperates with repatriation efforts.