Trump Policy Puts South Sudanese Nationals — Including NCAA Star — at Risk
Duke University basketball standout Khaman Maluach may have played his final game on U.S. soil. Just hours after Duke’s Final Four loss to the University of Houston in San Antonio, a bombshell announcement from the Trump administration put Maluach — and every South Sudanese national in the U.S. — on notice.
On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the U.S. would revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport-holders, citing the country’s refusal to cooperate with deportation orders.
“It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States,” Rubio said in a statement.
Duke Responds as Student-Athletes Await Answers
The sudden policy shift has thrown universities like Duke into scramble mode. Frank Tramble, Duke’s Vice President for Communications, confirmed the school is “aware of the announcement from the State Department” and is actively working to determine how it may affect students.
“We are looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand any implications for Duke students,” Tramble said.
For Maluach, a rising star and South Sudanese national, the timing couldn’t be worse. After a hard-fought NCAA Tournament run, the threat of deportation now looms large over his future.
Visa Revocations Begin Immediately, No New Applications
The new policy doesn’t just target current visa holders — it also halts all future visa issuances to South Sudanese nationals. According to State Department data, only 46 nonimmigrant visas were granted to South Sudanese individuals in January, a small number compared to neighboring countries like Uganda and Tanzania, which each saw hundreds issued in the same period.
Rubio stated the ban will remain in place until South Sudan’s transitional government shows “full cooperation” with U.S. deportation efforts.
Uncertainty Grows for South Sudanese Community
For many in the South Sudanese diaspora — students, professionals, and families alike — the blanket visa cancellation represents more than bureaucratic policy. It’s a sudden upheaval of lives, dreams, and livelihoods in the U.S.
As athletes like Maluach become the human faces of the fallout, pressure is building on universities and lawmakers to respond. But for now, Maluach’s future — like so many others’ — hangs in the balance.
