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Wednesday, September 16, 2026

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Visas · Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Rubio announces visa bans tied to South Africa land and discrimination policies

The File desk · Sep. 16, 2026, 10:14 a.m. ET

Confirmed1 primary sources

Status

Confirmed from a State Department spokesman release dated Sept. 15, 2026.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa-restriction policy on Sept. 15. It uses to bar foreign nationals the State Department says are responsible for, or complicit in, laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, or incitement of imminent violence against minority groups in South Africa. Certain family members may also be covered. The announcement cites President Trump’s on South Africa. Rubio said the United States remains concerned about discrimination and land-expropriation threats and urged the South African government to address them. The statement does not name specific people who are barred.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa-restriction policy on Sept. 15.
It uses to bar foreign nationals the State Department says are responsible for, or complicit in, laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, or incitement of imminent violence against minority groups in South Africa.
Certain family members may also be covered.
The announcement cites President Trump’s on South Africa.
Rubio said the United States remains concerned about discrimination and land-expropriation threats and urged the South African government to address them.
The statement does not name specific people who are barred.
How we know

What is still unknown or disputed

  • Named individuals covered by the restriction, and any South African government response, are not in this release.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    Announcement of New Visa Restriction Policy Targeting Foreign Nationals Involved in Race-Based Discrimination and Incitement of Imminent Violence, as well as Uncompensated Land Seizures in South Africa

    U.S. Department of State · September 15, 2026

    New visa restriction policy under targeting foreign nationals responsible for or complicit in uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and/or incitement of imminent violence against minority groups in South Africa.

    https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/09/announcement-of-new-visa-restriction-policy-targeting-foreign-nationals-involved-in-race-based-discrimination