US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the US is immediately revoking visas issued to all South Sudanese passport holders due to the African nation refusing to accept its citizens who have been removed from the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rubio, in a statement on , added that the US will also block any arriving citizens of South Sudan, the world’s newest country, at US ports of entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He blamed “the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy is removing unlawful migrants from the US, with the promise of “mass deportations”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,” said Rubio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It comes as fears grow that South Sudan may again descend into civil war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On 8 March, the US ordered all its non-emergency staff in South Sudan to leave as regional fighting broke out, threatening a fragile peace deal agreed in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Sudanese in the US were previously granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allows them to remain in the US for a set period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TPS for South Sudanese in the US had been due to expire by 3 May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, gained independence in 2011 after seceding from Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But just two years later, following a rift between President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar, the tensions erupted into a civil war, in which more than 400,000 people were killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 2018 power-sharing agreement between the two stopped the fighting, but key elements of the deal have not been implemented \u2013 including a new constitution, an election and the reunification of armed groups into a single army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sporadic violence between ethnic and local groups has continued in parts of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since returning to office, the Trump administration has clashed with international governments over deportations of their nationals from the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January, Colombian President Gustavo Petro barred two US military flights carrying deported migrants from landing in his South American country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Petro relented after Trump promised to place crippling tariffs and sanctions on Colombia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most famous South Sudanese citizens currently in the US is Duke University star basketball player 18-year-old Khaman Maluach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesman for the university said on Sunday the school is “aware of the announcement… regarding visa holders from South Sudan”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand any implications for Duke students.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maluach, who played for the South Sudanese Olympic basketball team last summer, spent much of his life in Uganda after fleeing his violence in his homeland as a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first-year student – whose Duke team was eliminated from the national championship tournament Saturday night after losing in the semi-finals to the University of Houston – is widely expected to join the ranks of the NBA after graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced that the US is immediately revoking visas issued to all South Sudanese<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14218,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/012f18b0-1276-11f0-bff6-cd78484f917b.jpg.webp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14648,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/uganda-included-on-trump-administrations-additional-36-countries-for-travel-ban-memo-says\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":0},"title":"Uganda Included on Trump administration’s additional 36 countries for travel ban, memo says","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"June 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"U.S. President\u00a0Donald Trump's\u00a0administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by the media . Majority of the countries are from Africa . Earlier this month, the Republican president\u00a0signed a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Relations"","block_context":{"text":"International Relations","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/international-relations\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/OIP.webp","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14876,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/u-s-tightens-visa-rules-for-ugandans-over-overstays-fraud\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":1},"title":"U.S. Tightens Visa Rules for Ugandans Over Overstays, Fraud","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"July 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The U.S. has significantly reduced the validity of non-immigrant visas for Ugandan citizens, shortening it from a maximum of two years to a maximum of three months for single entry.\u00a0This change, announced by the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, is part of a broader effort to ensure the integrity of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Travel"","block_context":{"text":"International Travel","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/international-travel\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Ugandan-Passports-872x547-1.png","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Ugandan-Passports-872x547-1.png 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Ugandan-Passports-872x547-1.png 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Ugandan-Passports-872x547-1.png 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8168,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/pope-francis-holds-historic-peace-mission-in-south-sudan-attracts-more-than-one-million-worshippers-in-drc\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":2},"title":"Pope Francis holds historic peace mission in South Sudan, attracts more than one million worshippers in DRC","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"February 4, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Vice President Alupo meets Pope Francis in South Sudan Pope Francis has held a historic peace mission in South Sudan's capital Juba. The first people to greet Pope Francis when he arrived in the South Sudanese capital were Archbishop Justin Welby and Moderator Rev Iain Greenshields, who both boarded the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "POPE'S VISIT"","block_context":{"text":"POPE'S VISIT","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/popes-visit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/alupo.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/alupo.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/alupo.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/alupo.jpg 2x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/alupo.jpg 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14159,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/call-for-peace-in-sudan-and-end-to-chemical-weapons-on-civilians\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":3},"title":"CALL FOR PEACE IN SUDAN AND END TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS ON CIVILIANS","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"March 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Our Correspondent in Geneva, Switzerland\u00a0 A big demonstration in solidarity with the Sudanese people, who are victims of chemical weapons and calling for peace in Sudan, was organized on March 29th in front of the broken chair next to the United Nations in Geneva. The demonstration gathered over 50\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sud2.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sud2.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/sud2.jpg 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7018,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/sudanese-demonstrators-take-their-protest-to-the-un-headquarters-in-geneva\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":4},"title":"Sudanese \u00a0demonstrators take their protest\u00a0 to the \u00a0UN headquarters in Geneva","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"October 23, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"October 22nd 2022 A coalition of European ,international and Sudanese human rights organisations gathered on October 22nd 2022 in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva to Commemorate the victims of October 25th 2021 coup killed savagely by the military regime of Al Burhan while protesting peacefully for more equal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Africa Continental News"","block_context":{"text":"Africa Continental News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/africa-continental-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sud-2.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sud-2.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sud-2.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sud-2.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6924,"url":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/demonstrators-at-the-internal-criminal-court-call-for-democracy-in-sudan\/","url_meta":{"origin":14217,"position":5},"title":"DEMONSTRATORS AT THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT CALL FOR DEMOCRACY IN SUDAN","author":"UgandaUpdate","date":"October 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Our International Correspondents A demonstration was\u00a0 organised on October 15th in front of the international criminal court with the presence of more than 100 people who came in solidarity with the people of Sudan and calling the international criminal court to prosecute the regime of Burhan for alleged \u00a0crimes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Africa Continental News"","block_context":{"text":"Africa Continental News","link":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/category\/africa-continental-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG-20221016-WA0124.jpg","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG-20221016-WA0124.jpg 1x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG-20221016-WA0124.jpg 1.5x, https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG-20221016-WA0124.jpg 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0aOV-3Hj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14217"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14219,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14217\/revisions\/14219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prowebinhost.com\/anzu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}