The US State Department is revoking "all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders," effective immediately, a move that threatens, among others, Duke University basketball star Khaman Maluach. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the announcement on social media Saturday, just before Duke lost its Final Four game against Houston. He said the US was revoking visas and blocking any citizens arriving from the African nation due to "the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner," per the BBC. A Duke rep said the university is "looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand the implications for Duke students."
Maluach, 18, did not speak to reporters after the game. He was born in South Sudan but fled the country as a child due to violence and spent much of his life in Uganda. A starting freshman center for Duke, he's "widely seen as a first-round pick in this year's NBA draft if he chooses to turn professional," per the New York Times. South Sudanese in the US were previously granted temporary protected status due to conditions that make it unsafe or difficult for them to return home, per the BBC. This meant they could remain in the US for a certain period of time. That protected status had been set to expire on May 3.
The change from the US comes amid fears that South Sudan will be drawn into Sudan's civil war. Last month, the US ordered its non-emergency staff to leave the country. In a statement Saturday, Rubio accused South Sudan of "taking advantage 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," he said, per the BBC. The State Department said "we will provide further information and instructions to affected visa holders and applicants as it is available," per USA Today. (More South Sudan stories.)
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