WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that the United States is canceling all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and suspending the issuance of new ones.

The action comes after South Sudan's transitional government failed to accept the return of its deported citizens in a timely manner, Rubio said in a statement.

Washington "will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation," Rubio added.

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This is the first visa ban targeting all passport holders from a specific country since President Donald Trump returned to office on January 20.