DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – A Duke men’s basketball standout might be facing deportation following a weekend announcement from the Trump administration regarding a new visa policy.
The U.S. plans to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders effective immediately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday evening.
“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 wrote in the social media post.
Among those impacted by this decision is Duke freshman center Khaman Maluach, who’s a native of South Sudan and played for its national team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The announcement was made only hours before the Blue Devils’ loss to Houston at the Final Four on Saturday night, leaving uncertainty about his future in the U.S.
Maluach, a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft this June, was not made available to the media following the game.
Nexstar’s WNCN reached out to Duke University spokesperson Frank Tramble, the school’s vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs, to inquire about Maluach and his immigration status. Tramble responded with the following statement:
“Duke University is aware of the announcement from the Department of State regarding visa holders from South Sudan. We are looking into the situation and working expeditiously to understand any implications for Duke students.”
The 7-foot-2 athlete played a major role for a Duke team that won 35 games this season and advanced to the program’s first Final Four appearance in three years. He became a force to be reckoned with for the Blue Devils in the paint, averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field.
Maluach stepped up his play on the hardwood during March Madness, scoring in the double figures in the Sweet 16 against Arizona and the Elite Eight against Alabama.
It’s unknown whether Maluach was aware of the state department announcement before Saturday’s matchup with Houston. He finished with six points, one block and zero rebounds while only playing 21 minutes due to foul trouble.
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