The United States announced on Tuesday that it is imposing visa restrictions on members of South Sudan’s transitional government, accusing them of undermining peace efforts and fueling conflict through corruption and violations of the ceasefire agreement.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that the targeted individuals had “undermined peace in South Sudan,” including by obstructing the ceasefire deal and engaging in corrupt practices that worsened instability in the country.
The move comes amid growing international concern over the fragile peace process in South Sudan, where repeated political disputes and armed clashes have threatened to derail transitional arrangements aimed at ending years of civil conflict.
Separately, a U.S. federal judge recently blocked the administration of President Donald Trump from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese nationals living in the United States.
Federal Judge Patti Saris in Boston ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely acted unlawfully by providing what the court described as weak justifications for terminating South Sudan’s TPS designation without fully disclosing the real reasons behind the decision.
TPS protections are granted to nationals of countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. The designation allows migrants to legally live and work in the United States while shielding them from deportation.
