The United States is revoking all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced.
He said the decision is “effective immediately” due to South Sudan‘s failure to accept the return of its repatriated citizens “in a timely manner”.
Mr Rubio also accused the African nation of “taking advantage of the United States”.
“We will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full co-operation,” he said.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, including the repatriation of people deemed to be in America illegally.
It has warned countries that do not swiftly take back their citizens will face consequences, including visa sanctions or tariffs.
Besides revoking visas, Mr Rubio said the US would “prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders”.
South Sudan’s embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to a request for comment by the Reuters news agency.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, but the world’s youngest nation has been plagued by conflict and instability ever since.
Its political landscape remains fragile and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups has escalated tensions.
In late March, the country’s opposition leader Riek Machar was arrested by President Salva Kiir’s government forces in a move that the United Nations has warned could risk fresh civil war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged regional and international leaders to prevent the country falling “over the abyss”.
African Union mediators arrived in the capital Juba this week to try to avert the crisis.
South Sudan
Soldiers patrol the streets in Juba, South Sudan in February. File pic: AP
Mr Machar was placed under house arrest after fighting in the north of the country between the White Army – an armed group he has been linked to – and government forces.
Many of his senior allies have also been arrested by the security forces, which Mr Machar’s supporters described as a “grave violation” of the 2018 peace deal that ended the last civil war.
Earlier this year, tensions reached boiling point when the White Army stormed a military base in Upper Nile state and attacked a UN helicopter. Government forces responded with air strikes.
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Mr Machar led rebel forces during the 2013-2018 civil conflict that saw hundreds of thousands killed. He denies any current links with the White Army.
Mr Kiir, his longtime rival, has accused him of stirring up a new rebellion.
