US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington ‘will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation’ - Photo: AAP

The United States has revoked all visas for South Sudanese citizens and halted the entry of new arrivals, citing the country’s failure to accept the return of deported nationals.

In a statement shared with Eye Radio, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Saturday, accusing Juba of failing to cooperate with the US in repatriating its citizens.

The US State Department is “revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and preventing the issuance of any further visas to stop entry,” Rubio stated in an official release.

This action marks the first time the US has targeted an entire country’s passport holders since President Donald Trump resumed office in January 2025, having campaigned on a platform emphasizing stricter immigration policies.

Rubio criticized South Sudan’s transitional government, stating, “Every nation must accept the return of its citizens promptly when another country seeks to remove them.” He added that Washington would reconsider the visa revocation when South Sudan fully cooperates on the matter.

Under the previous administration of President Joe Biden, South Sudanese nationals in the US were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which protects them from deportation due to the unsafe conditions in their home country. However, this status is set to expire on May 3, 2025.

TPS is granted to individuals who are unable to return to their home countries safely due to conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances.

As of September 2023, approximately 133 South Sudanese nationals were living in the US under the TPS program, with another 140 eligible to apply, according to the Department of Homeland Security.