Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday that he would be revoking the visas of all South Sudan passport holders due to the transitional government of South Sudan refusing to accept citizens being deported by the Trump administration. This decision was made in an attempt to pressure South Sudan into cooperating and accepting the repatriations in a timely manner.
This move by Mr. Rubio is part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to deport foreign citizens from the United States, as promised by President Trump during his campaign. Similar actions have been taken with other countries in the past, such as threats of visa revocation and tariffs on exports.
Critics, including former Justice Department official Lucas Guttentag, have condemned the decision as unfair and described it as targeting individuals based on nationality rather than engaging in meaningful diplomacy. The Trump administration has been carrying out mass deportation campaigns, with Mr. Rubio revoking a significant number of visas recently.
This decision has already affected prominent figures, including former Costa Rican President Óscar Arias Sánchez, who had his visa suspended after criticizing Mr. Trump on social media. The U.S. government has faced challenges in deporting individuals due to issues with countries accepting them, leading to sanctions on uncooperative nations.
In 2023, the Biden administration granted Temporary Protected Status to migrants from South Sudan due to ongoing violence in the country. These protections are set to expire in May. The actions taken by Mr. Rubio demonstrate the ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to carry out deportations and enforce immigration policies.
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