South Sudan Blasts US Over Blanket Visa Ban: A Case of Mistaken Identity?

NewsNation

Tensions have flared between South Sudan and the United States after Washington announced a sweeping visa ban on all South Sudanese passport holders. The move, which South Sudan has condemned as “unfair” and “based on mistaken identity,” marks the first blanket visa restriction imposed under President Donald Trump’s new administration.

According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the ban was enforced due to South Sudan’s alleged refusal to accept deported citizens. However, Juba firmly disputes the claim. South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the incident in question involved a Congolese national who had been misidentified as South Sudanese. The individual, they say, was subsequently returned to the United States after the error was discovered.

The visa freeze has left many South Sudanese citizens in limbo, from students to professionals and diplomats, all caught in the crossfire of what Juba insists is a diplomatic misunderstanding. Critics argue that a country-wide penalty over a single case smacks of overreach and lacks nuance, especially for a fragile nation still recovering from years of conflict.

As Washington insists the visa ban will remain until Juba “fully cooperates,” observers worry this standoff may signal a hardening of US immigration policy in Trump’s second term—one where facts may matter less than force.