Non-South Sudanese deportees from U.S. will be sent to their countries -Police

Following reports that U.S. immigration authorities have begun deporting South Asian migrants to South Sudan, South Sudan police service said if the deportees are proven not to be South Sudanese, they will be sent to their home countries.

Police spokesperson Maj. Gen. James Monday Enoka clarified South Sudan's stance on the deportations.

“When they arrive, they will be investigated, the truth will be established, and they will be again deported to their correct country if they are proven that they are not South Sudanese,” Enoka said.

The reported Asian immigrants being deported to South Sudan by the US have not yet landed in Juba, but Enoka assured that South Sudanese authorities would be actively involved in the process of establishing their nationalities.

“When they arrive, definitely I will be at the airport, or one of my staff will be there, we will know. We will inform the media,” he added.

The alleged deportation surfaced on the international media outlets after U.S. immigration officials reportedly started sending a group of South Asian migrants, including individuals identified as “N.M.” (a Burmese national) and “T.T.P.” (a Vietnamese national), to South Sudan.

The U.S. immigration lawyers have expressed concern, filing a court motion to intervene, asserting that these deportations are improper. At least 12 individuals were reportedly affected, with claims that their deportations violate prior legal rulings.

However, former South Sudan police spokesperson John Kasarah explained how different the U.S. deportation process is and stated that the truth will be established.

“Immigration system in the U.S. is very different from other immigration. They don't just deport people anyhow. The first thing that they normally do, they contact the minister of foreign affairs, and then the list of their status is sent ahead before they arrive to that particular country where they are deported to.,”

While Kasarah stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the right authority to answer questions regarding this matter, he also reiterated that the deportees have not yet arrived in South Sudan.

In the midst of this controversy, South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to release an official statement regarding the deportations.