South Sudan Reverses Stance in U.S. Visa Row, Will Accept Deported Man

South Sudan has backtracked on its earlier refusal to accept a man deported from the United States, in a bid to ease a growing diplomatic row. The decision comes days after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa restrictions on all South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s failure to accept deported nationals.

Initially, Juba insisted the man in question was wrongly identified as South Sudanese and claimed he was from the Democratic Republic of Congo. But in a statement on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said the man would now be allowed to enter the country “in the spirit of the friendly relations.”

The man could arrive in Juba as early as Wednesday, according to officials.

South Sudan also reaffirmed its commitment to accepting the return of verified nationals being deported from the U.S., but condemned Washington’s blanket sanctions as a disproportionate response to an isolated incident.

The U.S., however, rejected Juba’s explanation, with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau calling it “legally irrelevant,” noting that the South Sudanese embassy had verified the man’s nationality.

The diplomatic clash marks the first time the U.S. has barred an entire nation’s citizens from entering since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, reigniting his hardline immigration agenda.

The row also comes amid renewed instability in South Sudan, with fears of fresh civil conflict after First Vice President Riek Machar was placed under house arrest. The U.S. recently ordered non-emergency staff to leave the country due to rising violence. 

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese nationals in the U.S. is set to expire by May 3.