By Philip Buda Ladu
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation responded to the United States’ decision to revoke all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing a case of misidentification in a recent deportation attempt that triggered the diplomatic row.
The U.S. State Department announced the visa revocations on April 5, 2024, alleging “failure of South Sudan’s Transitional Government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the decision was necessary to enforce U.S. immigration laws.
However, Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson of Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson, clarified in a statement on Monday that the individual at the centre of the dispute, who arrived at Juba International Airport on April 5 and 6, 2024, was not a South Sudanese citizen.
According to her the individual, who presented a South Sudanese Travel Document under the name Nimeri Garang, was identified as Makula Kintu, a national of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“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,” Ambassador Ayuel stated.
The ministry further provided detailed information, including that Mr. Kintu was born on April 2, 1977, and had previously entered the U.S. in 2003, voluntarily departed to the DRC in 2009, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally in 2016.
The foreign affairs ministry also shared video evidence of Mr. Kintu’s interview at Juba airport, where he stated he was from the Ema tribe of the Northern Kivu Province in the DRC adding he was brought to South Sudan against his will.
The ministry further clarified that they are expecting the arrival of the actual Nimeri Garang, born on April 4, 1967, on May 13, 2025, as per communications from the U.S. State Department.
The South Sudanese government expressed regret over the situation but emphasized its consistent cooperation with the U.S. on immigration matters.
Ambassador Ayuel highlighted that the country’s embassy in Washington, D.C., had issued emergency travel documents for 21 out of 23 individuals identified by U.S. authorities, with most being successfully repatriated.
“The Government deeply regrets that despite this history of collaboration and partnership, South Sudan now faces a broad revocation of visas based on an isolated incident involving misrepresentation by an individual who is not a South Sudanese national,” she said.
South Sudan’s government reiterated its commitment to working with the U.S. to ensure the proper verification and acceptance of genuine South Sudanese nationals.
The U.S. decision has drawn criticism from South Sudanese citizens in the U.S. and civil society activists. Alma Dhieu, a South Sudanese resident in the U.S., claimed the decision was not solely based on the deportation issue and that South Sudan had acted diligently.
Meanwhile, Ter Manyang, Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), called on the U.S. to reconsider the visa restrictions, arguing that they unfairly punish innocent South Sudanese citizens.
The U.S. visa revocation comes shortly before the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese individuals in the U.S. on May 3, 2025.