A Duke men’s basketball player could potentially face deportation after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the United States would revoke all visas held by people from his country.

Rubio said the administration would revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders after South Sudan refused to accept nationals expelled from the United States.

Secretary Of State Marco Rubio Cancels Visas For An Entire Country

"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," Rubio said Saturday.

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…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) April 5, 2025

Duke University's starting freshman center, Khaman Maluach, is from South Sudan.

Duke basketball’s Khaman Maluach may face deportation as U.S. visa restrictions on South Sudanese citizens take effect. The policy, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stems from South Sudan’s refusal to accept repatriated individuals. 

Duke is evaluating the situation. pic.twitter.com/vQ5czR0foK

— Wayne DuPree (@TheDupreeReport) April 6, 2025

From the New York Post:

Maluach, who was born in South Sudan, concluded his freshman season with the Blue Devils’ stunning loss to Houston on Saturday night.

Rubio claimed the restriction was “due to the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner,” meaning the African nation has not said it will take back its migrants booted from the US within a certain time frame.

Maluach declined to speak with reporters after his team’s devastating loss Saturday.

Duke University spokesman Frank Tramble said the school is “looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand the implications for Duke students.”

Duke star Khaman Maluach could be deported under new Trump policy — after losing Final Four heartbreaker https://t.co/b3B1mWk1BV pic.twitter.com/PZBOk4exiB

— New York Post (@nypost) April 6, 2025

Daily Mail reports:

But this rule will not affect the title game. Duke blew a 14 point lead and didn't hit a single shot from the field in the final three minutes to fall 70-67 to Houston.

It's unclear if Maluach is in the United States on a South Sudanese visa or if he may have citizenship in another country.

The statement from the State Department earlier in the day 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.'

Maluach was born in the South Sudanese town of Rumbek, but grew up in neighboring Uganda as a refugee.

He went to high school in Senegal at the NBA Academy Africa before playing professionally for Cobra Sport - a team in his native South Sudan - as a 16-year-old.

Maluach played for two more professional teams - AS Douanes of Senegal and City Oilers of Uganda - before being recruited to Duke. He picked the Blue Devils over offers from UCLA, Kentucky, and Kansas.