It’s been a tough weekend for Duke University basketball player Khaman Maluach. Just hours before he and the Blue Devils lost in the NCAA Final Four against the Houston Cougars in devastating fashion on April 5, he learned that he may be deported due to a new policy from President Donald Trump.
On Saturday, in a post on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote, “I am 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, due to the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.”
This directly affects Maluach, who was born in South Sudan and moved to the United States in 2024 to play basketball at Duke University in North Carolina. Not only could this affect his education, but also his wallet since he’s projected to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Frank Trample, Duke’s vice president of public affairs, said in a statement, “We are looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand any implications for Duke students.” He gave no further context on what could potentially happen to the 18-year-old freshman center.
It would be an unfortunate career end for a young man who is living his dream. Last week he told NBC News, “It never really crossed my mind that one day I’ll be playing for Duke. I didn’t know I was going to go to college… [or] be able to play in a Final Four.”
Why is the U.S. revoking South Sudanese visas?
In a statement released on Saturday, Rubio also implied that South Sudan’s government has refused to take back citizens who had previously been deported from the United States.
He said, “Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them.” The move represents how the Trump administration is increasing its efforts to crack down on immigration. The decision means the East African country could be on the brink of a civil war, unable to seek out America as a haven, the Associated Press reports. The outlet shared how the country’s government, who continues to struggle with independence since 2011, left the country of over 11 million people heavily reliant on aid after years of conflict. In addition to revoked visas, the Trump administration is also issuing cuts in foreign assistance.