South Sudan Disputes US Visa Ban, Claims Misidentified Nationality

Amid escalating tensions, South Sudan’s foreign ministry criticizes the US visa ban imposed on its citizens, asserting the revocation stemmed from an error concerning a Congolese national. The situation highlights rising concerns over internal stability in South Sudan, where diplomatic relations with the US are under strain.

South Sudan has expressed strong disapproval following the recent revocation of US visas for all its nationals, labeling the action as a result of an incident involving an individual from another country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the blanket visa ban on Saturday, pointing to South Sudan's reluctance to accept the return of its citizens being deported from the United States. However, South Sudan’s foreign ministry has clarified that the man at the crux of the incident was a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, not South Sudan. The ministry emphasized that this individual was sent back to the US for further processing.

This move marks a significant precedent, with the US targeting all passport holders from a single nation for the first time since President Donald Trump's return to office earlier this year. During his campaign, Trump promised aggressive immigration policies, including mass deportations. Rubio attributed the visa ban to the Transitional Government of South Sudan's failure to cooperate with timely repatriations of its citizens.

In response, South Sudan’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing its regret over the broad measure affecting all citizens because of "an isolated incident involving misrepresentation." They asserted that they had provided all necessary evidence to US officials to clarify the situation.

Additionally, South Sudan’s Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth criticized the US for seemingly exacerbating the country’s current tumultuous climate. He remarked that it is unreasonable for any sovereign state to accept the return of foreign nationals without proper oversight.

The backdrop to this unfolding controversy is a period of escalating unrest within South Sudan. The country has seen fears of renewed civil war as its First Vice-President, Riek Machar, has been placed under house arrest following accusations from President Salva Kiir of inciting a revolt. Last month, the US ordered all non-emergency personnel to evacuate as violence erupted, threatening the fragile peace deal established in 2018 that concluded a five-year civil conflict.

South Sudanese nationals in the US historically have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to ongoing instability, a provision that was set to expire on May 3.