Last Friday, the American administration announced the cancellation of all the visas granted to citizens of South Sudan, in response to the continuous refusal of the government of Juba to receive its citizens issued by decisions to be deported from the United States.
According to the New York Times, this strict decision comes after a series of unsuccessful attempts to persuade the authorities of southern Sudan to accept the scene.
This is what Washington considers a violation of international cooperation in the immigration file.
US State Department officials have confirmed that these sanctions are part of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows the United States to impose restrictions on visas when a country refuses to receive its citizens.
The context of the crisis
For years, the United States tried to expel a number of South Sudanese citizens, some of which have been found guilty of criminal cases, but the Juba government has refrained from issuing the necessary travel documents, which has embarrassed the implementation of expulsion decisions.
Despite repeated diplomatic contacts, no significant progress has been made.
“The South Sudan government has repeatedly ignored its international obligations and has not undertaken to return its citizens,” said a senior Trump administration that “the South Sudan government has repeatedly ignored its international obligations and has not committed to returning its citizens,” said a main Trump administration.
The extent of the decision and its impact
According to the Guardian report, the American decision is not limited to a specific category, but also includes all types of visas, including diplomats, students, researchers and business owners.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specify the number of people affected by the decision, but it confirmed that it had been immediately registered in force.
The decision, during its program, sparked a wave of anxiety and confusion within the South Sudanous community residing in the United States, in particular those which have academic or humanitarian visas.
Lawyers specializing in immigration indicated that this procedure can complicate the legal status of many people currently living in the country with temporary permits.
The South Sudan government has not yet published an official declaration on the American decision.
Observers believe that this silence reflects either a state of internal confusion, or an inability to respond, in the midst of a political and economic crisis in the country.
The broader context of the situation
The American use of the visa file as a diplomatic pressure tool was not new; According to the New York Times, he has already imposed restrictions similar to countries like Guinea, Eritrea and Cambodia. However, the imposition of a full embargo, as is the case with South Sudan, remains rare.
Observers believe that the American decision also carries a wider message than Washington will not tolerate what it considers as a “deliberate obstruction” to implement immigration laws, in particular in the light of a direction which shows a stricter trend in this file.