South Sudan’s government has confirmed it is currently hosting a group of eight individuals deported from the United States, following a controversial transfer involving nationals from multiple countries.
According to South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, only one of the deportees is a South Sudanese citizen. The rest include nationals from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. The ministry stated that the individuals are under government supervision in the capital, Juba, where they are being screened for security and health concerns.
The decision comes amid a broader U.S. policy shift under the Trump administration, which has pursued the relocation of migrants with criminal records to third-party countries when repatriation is blocked by their countries of origin. U.S. officials say the men had been convicted of violent offenses before their removal.
South Sudan described the move as a “well-considered humanitarian gesture” in the context of bilateral relations with the United States. However, local voices and international observers have raised alarms.
Civil society activist Edmund Yakani criticized the arrangement, stating: “South Sudan is not a dumping ground for foreign convicts.”
A group of United Nations human rights experts also condemned the action, citing international legal standards that prohibit transfers to countries where deportees might face harm, torture, or serious human rights violations.
The deportees initially departed the U.S. in May, but their arrival was delayed after a federal court temporarily blocked third-country deportations. That ruling was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, allowing the group to land in South Sudan on June 5.
A South Sudanese official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the group was flown in under U.S. military escort.
Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry, emphasized the government’s responsibility toward its citizens and others with recognized ties to the country.
The incident comes at a tense time domestically. Renewed friction between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar has sparked fears of a relapse into conflict. South Sudan emerged from a brutal civil war in 2018, but the peace remains fragile.