Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, released a press statement on April 5th announcing plans to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese citizens. Secretary Rubio also noted plans to implement travel restrictions to limit the entry of South Sudanese nationals into the United States moving forward. These actions, according to the press statement, are a response to South Sudan’s lack of cooperation in repatriation efforts. South Sudan, however, said over the weekend that Secretary Rubio’s press statement was released after they denied entry to Congolese citizen who was deported from the United States, not a citizen of South Sudan.
South Sudan is facing an increasingly volatile political landscape, with tensions high after the recent house arrest of the country’s vice president, Riek Machar. The removal of South Sudanese individuals back to their home country at a time of significant political instability and violence is concerning for many.
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