(MENAFN)
South Sudan has pushed back against Washington’s decision to revoke all US visas for its citizens, rejecting accusations that it refused to accept deported nationals. The country's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Monday clarifying that a deportee recently sent to Juba was denied entry because he was not a South Sudanese citizen.

According to the ministry, the individual arrived with travel documents under the name Nimeri Garang, but verification revealed he was actually a Congolese national named Makula Kintu. As a result, he was returned to the sending country in line with South Sudan’s immigration procedures.

The US, under President Donald Trump’s administration, has ramped up immigration enforcement since January. This includes deploying military personnel to border regions and expanding migrant detention facilities. On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the immediate cancellation of all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country's failure to comply with US repatriation policies.

Rubio stated that South Sudan had not cooperated in receiving deported citizens, violating the expectations of Trump’s stricter immigration agenda. He added that the US would reconsider its stance if South Sudan fully complies moving forward.

In response, South Sudan's government expressed disappointment over the sweeping visa revocation, labeling it unjustified and based on a single case of identity fraud. It emphasized that the country has historically maintained a cooperative relationship with the US on immigration matters.

South Sudan, the youngest nation in Africa after its 2011 independence from Sudan, remains politically fragile. Although the 2013–2018 civil war officially ended, tensions have been rising again due to leadership struggles between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, prompting concerns of renewed conflict.

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