Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday the revocation of visas for all South Sudan passport holders due to the country’s transitional government’s failure to accept deported citizens from the Trump administration in a timely manner.

In a social media post, Mr. Rubio stated he will restrict further visa issuances to prevent South Sudanese entry, blaming the transitional government for not accepting repatriations. In a State Department statement, Mr. Rubio said actions will be reviewed once South Sudan cooperates fully.

Similar to President Trump’s January action against Colombian officials, where he threatened visa revocation and tariffs for refusing to accept US military flights with Colombian deportees, this move signifies the Trump administration’s drive to expedite foreign citizens’ deportation.

Several potential deportees have filed lawsuits and obtained temporary restraining orders against the Trump administration’s actions.

South Sudan officials were not available for comment late Saturday.

Lucas Guttentag, a former Biden-administration DOJ official, criticized the move as “another example of damaging individuals based on nationality and upending the lives of innocent and law-abiding visa holders instead of engaging in meaningful diplomacy.”

This mass deportation campaign involves Mr. Rubio’s assertion of the right to revoke the visas of certain potential deportees in detention centers based on their subverting American foreign policy.

Several prominent detainees have participated in campus protests or written essays against Israel’s war in Gaza and US support for it.

On March 27, Mr. Rubio reportedly revoked perhaps 300 or more visas and continues signing daily papers to deport more individuals. A notable figure amongst those affected is Oscar Arias Sánchez, a former Nobel Peace Prize winner from Costa Rica, who had his visa suspended after criticizing Mr. Trump.

Historically, the US government has faced challenges when countries refuse to accept individuals to be deported, often due to diplomatic issues or travel documentation problems. The Trump administration previously imposed visa sanctions on uncooperative nations.

In 2023, the Biden administration provided Temporary Protected Status to South Sudanese migrants due to the violence in their country. This protection remains in effect until May.