South Sudan Cites Goodwill in Accepting US Deportees

(JUBA) – The Government of South Sudan has confirmed that it is caring for eight deported migrants who were controversially removed from the United States under a policy involving transfers to third countries.

Only one of the deportees is a South Sudanese national, while the rest include two individuals from Myanmar, two from Cuba and one each from Vietnam, Laos and Mexico.

The deportation was carried out under a programme that has faced legal resistance in the United States. The scheme is associated with the  administration of US President Donald Trump, which pursued third country deportations after several nations declined to accept returnees directly.

The migrants arrived in Juba on 5 June after being delayed in Djibouti in May, when a US district court imposed a temporary stay on their deportation. That stay was later overturned by the US Supreme Court, allowing the transfer to proceed. An anonymous official said the group had been returned by US Marines.

According to a statement released late Tuesday by South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the eight individuals are currently under the care of local authorities in Juba. The government said it is screening them and ensuring their safety and well being.

The ministry described the arrangement as a “careful and well-studied decision” that reflects South Sudan’s ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States. It stated that the government responded positively to a request from US authorities “as a gesture of goodwill, humanitarian cooperation and commitment to mutual interests.”

South Sudan has not shared specific details about the legal or immigration status of the seven non South Sudanese individuals or their long term plans while in the country.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Apuk Ayuel Mayen said that Juba remains committed to receiving both its returning citizens and others with recognised ties to South Sudan. She reiterated that the country supports the principle of humanitarian responsibility and international cooperation.

The financial terms of care and processing were not disclosed.