Apuk Ayuel Mayen, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Republic of South Sudan. |File Photo|.
By Cosmos Khamis, |Guest Writer|,
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says his country is revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, accusing the transitional government of South Sudan of not accepting the repatriation of its nationals.
Rubio said it is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States, asserting that, enforcing immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” Rubio said in a statement to the media, “As South Sudan’s transitional government has failed to fully respect this principle, effective immediately, the United States Department of State is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders.”
He said the United States will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation.
South Sudan’s government said the United States deportee was not permitted entry at Juba International Airport on April 5 and April 6, 2025.
South Sudan’s government said upon the arrival of the US deportee, it was determined that the individual who presented a South Sudanese travel document under the name Nimeri Garang, was not a South Sudanese, but a national from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo and the second was a Sudanese national.
“Comprehensive verification processes confirmed that this individual is a national of the Democratic Republic of Congo, named Makula Kintu. In accordance with our immigration protocols, he was not admitted and was subsequently returned to the sending country for further processing,” South Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.
“We would like to clarify that the Government of South Sudan has consistently maintained open communication and cooperation with U.S. authorities regarding immigration and deportation matters. The Government welcomes all its citizens, whether they are returning voluntarily or through deportation processes.”
The Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Aput Ayuel Mayen emphasized that the records available to both governments indicate that Mr. Makula Kintu, born on April 2, 1977, is a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, not South Sudan.
According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Kintu entered the United States on August 21, 2003, and voluntarily departed for the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009 under File No. A098 150 764 and he re-entered the United States illegally on July 10, 2016.
During his immigration interview at Juba International Airport, Mr. Kintu’s statements further substantiated that he is not a citizen of South Sudan. He stated that he hails from the Ema tribe of the Northern Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and added that he was brought to South Sudan against his will.
Ayuel said relevant video evidence of these proceedings has been shared with the U.S. Ambassador in Juba and the Department of State in Washington, D.C.
“The Government of South Sudan expressed regret for the circumstances that led to this situation. However, it is imperative to highlight that South Sudan has consistently demonstrated goodwill and cooperation with the United States on immigration and deportation issues. In this context, the South Sudanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., has issued emergency travel documents for 21 out of the 23 individuals identified by U.S. authorities, with some successfully repatriated and admitted into South Sudan without issue,” Ayuel said.
Ayuel added that of the two individuals confirmed as non-South Sudanese nationals, one is a Congolese citizen (Mr. Makula Kintu), and the other is a Sudanese national.
She affirmed the government’s commitment to engaging constructively with the United States to ensure the proper verification and acceptance of bona fide South Sudanese nationals, consistent with international standards and practices.
“South Sudan values its strong partnership with the United States and appreciates the significant contributions made by the American Government and people, as well as the South Sudanese community residing in the U.S. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to resolving this matter through constructive dialogue and collaboration,” she added.
Ayuel affirmed that the Republic of South Sudan looks forward to working closely with U.S. authorities to address this issue promptly, fairly, and in a manner that is mutually beneficial.
