Following a rising political standoff between the U.S. and South Sudan, a Duke University basketball star now faces possible deportation amid the escalating tensions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a tweet on Saturday afternoon that his department would be “taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately.”
Rubio said this is due to South Sudan’s delay in accepting repatriated citizens, a diplomatic rift that could have direct consequences for Duke University’s basketball program.
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The issue puts the spotlight on Duke’s freshman center, Khaman Maluach, a South Sudanese national, as reported by Daily Mail.
While Duke has declined to comment, Athletic Director Nina King is reportedly exploring the implications following the team’s recent loss to Houston. The Blue Devils squandered a 14-point lead and failed to make a field goal in the final three minutes.
Questions remain about the visa status of Duke’s South Sudanese freshman center. The U.S. State Department earlier criticized South Sudan’s transitional government for exploiting American leniency.
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The statement from the State Department also read, “It is time for the Transitional Government of South Sudan to stop taking advantage of the United States. Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.”
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them.”
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Born in Rumbek, South Sudan, Maluach was raised in Uganda as a refugee and later trained at NBA Academy Africa in Senegal. By 16, he was playing professionally for Cobra Sport in his homeland, before stints with AS Douanes (Senegal) and Uganda’s City Oilers.
The 7-footer eventually chose Duke over powerhouse programs like UCLA, Kentucky, and Kansas.
