Washington [US], April 6: The US government announced on April 5 that it would cancel all visas issued to South Sudan because the country did not agree to accept deported citizens, according to Reuters today, April 6.
The move marks the first time the US has taken action against all passport holders from a specific country since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, including revoking US visas.
The Trump administration is stepping up enforcement of immigration policies, including repatriating illegal immigrants.
Washington has warned that countries that do not quickly accept citizens deported from the US will face consequences, including visa restrictions or tariffs.
In this context, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the South Sudanese government for failing to respect the rule that each country must promptly agree to receive its citizens when another country, including the US, seeks to deport them.
"Effective immediately, the US State Department is taking action to revoke all US visas issued for South Sudanese passports and stop issuing new ones to prevent entry by South Sudanese passport holders," Reuters today, April 6, quoted Secretary of State Rubio.
"We will review these actions when South Sudan fully cooperates," Rubio said, adding that it was time for South Sudan's transitional government to "stop taking advantage of the United States."
The South Sudanese Embassy in Washington has not commented on this information.
The US administration under President Joe Biden is also granting temporary protected status (TPS) to South Sudanese citizens, which is set to expire on May 3.
The US grants TPS to people who cannot return home safely due to war, natural disasters...
There are about 133 South Sudanese in the US under the TPS program, and an additional 140 applicants are eligible to apply, according to the Department of Homeland Security as of September 2023.
The US decision also comes after African Union mediators arrived in South Sudan's capital Juba this week to join efforts to avert a return to civil war after First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest last week.
President Salva Kiir's administration accuses Mr Machar, who led rebel forces in a civil war from 2013-2018 that killed hundreds of thousands of people, of plotting to stir up a new uprising.
Mr Machar's house arrest comes after weeks of fighting in the northern state of Upper Nile between the army and the White Army, a group that was allied with the White Army during the previous civil war but now denies any links to the group.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
