Rubio Halts U.S. Entry for South Sudan Nationals

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Rubio Halts U.S. Entry for South Sudan Nationals \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The U.S. has revoked all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s refusal to repatriate its citizens. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision as tensions rise in South Sudan. The move comes amid escalating violence and fears of renewed civil war.

Quick Looks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the revocation of all visas held by South Sudanese nationals
Rubio cited South Sudan’s failure to accept deported citizens as the primary reason
Further visa issuance will be blocked, halting South Sudanese entry into the U.S.
Rubio said South Sudan is “taking advantage of the United States”
South Sudan faces mounting political instability and violent clashes between government and opposition forces
The arrest of First Vice President Riek Machar last week has intensified unrest
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a looming civil war
Guterres called the situation a “security emergency” requiring urgent global attention
South Sudan, the world’s youngest and one of its poorest nations, faces severe humanitarian and governance challenges
The visa decision signals growing international frustration with the country’s transitional government

Deep Look

The United States has moved to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, a rare and sweeping diplomatic step that signals growing frustration with the government of the conflict-ridden African nation. In an announcement on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision was made in response to South Sudan’s refusal to accept deported nationals, accusing the country’s leadership of “taking advantage of the United States.”

Rubio also announced that the U.S. would halt all future visa issuances to individuals carrying South Sudanese passports, effectively barring new entries into the country. The move comes at a time of escalating violence and political instability in South Sudan, where tensions have once again reached a boiling point.

Rubio: South Sudan Has Broken Diplomatic Norms

In his statement, Secretary Rubio emphasized that every sovereign nation has an obligation to cooperate with deportations of its citizens from foreign countries. He accused South Sudan’s transitional government of violating this international norm.

“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” Rubio said. “South Sudan’s transitional government has failed to fully respect this principle.”

Such deportation agreements are a routine part of diplomatic relations between nations, and failure to cooperate can lead to restrictions under Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act — a rarely used provision that allows the U.S. government to apply visa sanctions on countries that refuse to take back deportees.

Rubio’s announcement marks the latest effort by the U.S. to pressure South Sudan’s leaders into greater accountability and cooperation with the international community.

What This Means for South Sudanese Nationals in the U.S.

The immediate implications of the visa revocation are significant. South Sudanese nationals currently in the U.S. with valid visas may be subject to immigration scrutiny or face issues with renewals, extensions, or reentry if they travel abroad. Future visa applicants from South Sudan will be denied entry under the new directive.

This includes students, business travelers, asylum seekers, and family visitors. It could also affect refugee resettlement programs and humanitarian parole cases, though those exemptions are often handled on a case-by-case basis.

The move has already raised concerns among immigration advocates and humanitarian groups, who fear it could compound hardships for South Sudanese nationals who fled violence and civil war over the past decade.

Political Crisis Escalates in Juba

The visa ban comes during a period of renewed instability in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of conflict. The country’s transitional government, formed under a fragile peace deal, has struggled to maintain unity between factions loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar.

Tensions escalated sharply last week with the arrest of Machar by government forces, triggering fears of a return to full-scale civil war. Machar, a longtime opposition leader and key figure in South Sudan’s peace negotiations, had previously led rebel forces during a brutal conflict that began in 2013, just two years after the country gained independence.

Reports from Juba, the capital, describe sporadic fighting, heightened military presence, and growing unrest among political factions and armed groups. Civilians remain caught in the middle, with tens of thousands displaced and humanitarian conditions deteriorating.

United Nations Warns of a Looming Civil War

In response to the arrest and rising violence, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a dire warning, calling on regional and international leaders to act swiftly to prevent South Sudan from “falling over the abyss.”

Guterres described the situation as a “security emergency” marked by both military clashes and deepening political dysfunction. He noted that the arrest of Machar could derail any progress made under the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), a 2018 deal that had briefly raised hopes for peace.

“We cannot allow South Sudan to slide back into violence,” Guterres said. “The stakes are too high — for the people of South Sudan and for the region as a whole.”

The UN’s warning echoes concerns voiced by civil society groups and humanitarian organizations that operate in the region, many of which report increasing difficulty in delivering aid amid rising insecurity.

A Country on the Brink

South Sudan is already grappling with some of the world’s worst humanitarian indicators. According to UN data, more than 9 million people — nearly three-quarters of the population — require humanitarian assistance in 2024. Food insecurity, malnutrition, and displacement continue to plague the nation, while access to basic services remains minimal in many rural areas.

The collapse of political dialogue between Kiir and Machar has made it nearly impossible for the country to hold long-delayed elections or finalize a new constitution. Instead, violence has filled the political vacuum, with localized conflicts and ethnic tensions fueling insecurity in multiple regions.

Observers fear that the U.S. visa ban could signal a broader shift in Washington’s policy toward South Sudan — one that could lead to more sanctions or aid restrictions if the transitional government fails to take steps toward stability and compliance with international norms.

Diplomatic and Humanitarian Implications

While the U.S. has played a central role in supporting South Sudan’s independence and peace efforts, relations between the two countries have cooled in recent years. The Biden administration maintained a policy of diplomatic pressure, and now under Trump’s second term, Secretary Rubio’s action suggests a harder line approach.

Rubio’s statement may also be aimed at sending a broader message to other nations that fail to cooperate with U.S. immigration policies. However, critics warn that sweeping visa bans often impact civilians far more than government officials, and could strain people-to-people ties built over years of collaboration in health, education, and peacebuilding sectors.

Final Thoughts

The revocation of visas for South Sudanese passport holders marks a new chapter in U.S.–South Sudan relations, one shaped by growing frustration, diplomatic tension, and a backdrop of spiraling violence. As South Sudan teeters once again on the edge of civil conflict, international actors face difficult questions about how to respond — and whether tougher measures like travel bans will compel its leaders to change course.

In the meantime, the people of South Sudan continue to endure hardship and uncertainty, caught between a fragile peace and the looming threat of renewed war.