Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Saturday that the United States will immediately revoke visas held by South Sudan passport holders and suspend the issuance of any new visas to citizens from the East African nation.
The decision stems from what Rubio described as the “continued failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to cooperate with the repatriation of its citizens.” In a statement posted to X, Rubio criticized the South Sudanese government for its refusal to accept deported nationals in a timely manner, a requirement under international norms.
“The United States will not allow other nations to take advantage of our immigration system,” Rubio said. “Every sovereign country has the obligation to accept the return of its own citizens. South Sudan’s failure to do so undermines our national security and the integrity of our immigration laws.”
The State Department echoed Rubio’s remarks, warning that such actions are essential to preserving public safety and enforcing immigration law.
“Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States,” the department’s statement read. “Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States,