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US revokes all visas of troubled country in a stern warning: ‘Stop taking advantage…'

 US State Department on Saturday revoked all visas held by a troubled country

Updated on: Apr 6, 2025, 08:15:37 IST
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The US Department of State on Saturday announced that it would revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders after the African country failed to accept the return of repatriated citizens. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed the transitional government of South Sudan for ‘taking advantage’ of the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a strong statement on Saturday (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a strong statement on Saturday (AFP)

The measure is the first of its kind, with the US singling out all passport holders from a particular country since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The administration has already transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even after a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations.

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Rubio last week defended the Trump administration for expelling foreign citizens for protesting against Israel. He said that the US may have revoked more than 300 visas so far. “Every country in the world has a right to decide who comes in and who doesn’t,” Rubio said at a press conference. "We’re looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up.”

Why the US took action on South Sudan

“It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States. Enforcing our nation’s 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.

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He further accused South Sudan’s transitional government of failing 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. We will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation.”

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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