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U.S. Revokes Visas for All South Sudanese Passport Holders

The State Department's decision follows South Sudan's refusal to accept a repatriated individual, sparking diplomatic tensions and humanitarian concerns.

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Sudanese refugees and ethnic South Sudanese who have fled the war in Sudan carry their belongings while boarding a boat at the shores of the White Nile River in the Port of Renk on February 14, 2024. The boats take hundreds of Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees daily to the city of Malakal in a journey that takes days.More than 550,000 people have now fled from the war in Sudan to South Sudan since the conflict exploded in April 2023, according to the United Nations. South Sudan, that has itself recently come out of decades of war, was facing a dire humanitarian situation before the war in Sudan erupted and it is feared to not have the resources to host displaced people. The war-torn country of Sudan is currently ravaged by internal fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP) (Photo by LUIS TATO/AFP via Getty Images)
South Sudan soldiers patrol the street in Juba, South Sudan on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Overview

  • Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the immediate revocation of all U.S. visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, halting new visa issuances until the country complies with repatriation norms.
  • The U.S. action stems from South Sudan's refusal to accept a deportee, whom South Sudan claims is a Congolese national, raising disputes over the individual's nationality.
  • South Sudan's government has criticized the measure as unfair and based on a single case, asserting its willingness to accept its citizens under proper circumstances.
  • The decision has intensified concerns for South Sudanese nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the U.S., as their designation is set to expire in May 2025.
  • This policy comes as South Sudan faces escalating political instability and fears of renewed civil war, complicating the humanitarian crisis in the region.