Key Takeaways
• In April 2025, U.S. revoked all visas for South Sudan passport holders, directly threatening Khaman Maluach’s stay.
• F-1 visa rules restrict student-athlete employment and NIL income, risking loss of legal status for international athletes.
• Unpredictable immigration policies jeopardize college teams, recruiting, and international athletes’ ability to compete and study in America.
Duke University’s freshman basketball center, Khaman Maluach, is finding himself at the center of a growing problem in U.S. immigration. His story is not just about a talented athlete facing trouble, but it also paints a clear picture of the tough situation international student-athletes are in these days. Recent changes to U.S. immigration policies, especially the sharp move to revoke visas from citizens of some countries, have thrown many athletes like Maluach into a state of worry and uncertainty. As colleges, athletic programs, and lawmakers scramble to figure out what comes next, the entire system of college sports in the United States 🇺🇸 feels the shakeup.
Khaman Maluach: Facing the Immediate Effects of Visa Revocation
In April 2025, the U.S. State Department announced it was revoking all visas for people holding passports from South Sudan 🇸🇸. This action meant they could no longer enter the United States 🇺🇸, and for those already inside the country—like Maluach—there was the real threat of deportation. This sudden change was made because of disputes between the U.S. government and South Sudan’s transitional government, which refused to take back some of its citizens as required.
For Khaman Maluach, a student at Duke University and an F-1 student visa holder, the impact was direct and personal. If his visa is no longer valid, he faces the possibility of having to leave school, losing his chance to play basketball with his team, and being forced to leave the country. He cannot safely travel outside the United States 🇺🇸—even to visit family or take part in workouts before the NBA draft—because he may not be let back in. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this change has left Maluach and many others feeling helpless.
It’s important to remember:
– Maluach’s situation is not a result of anything he has done wrong.
– The threat comes from bigger political issues that are out of his control.
– Other student-athletes from similar countries are also suddenly facing the same threat of losing their education, sports careers, and scholarships.
These problems are not just short-term problems for Maluach and his team at Duke University. They show a larger risk facing many international students and athletes across the country.
The Broader Challenges for International Student-Athletes
While Maluach’s story brings attention to the problem, he is only one of many facing new hurdles. The number of international athletes in the NCAA has grown each year. In 2022, 15% of all players in men’s Division I basketball were from outside the United States 🇺🇸, and nearly 25,000 foreign student-athletes now compete in all NCAA sports. With so many international players, sudden visa changes can cause big waves across college sports.
F-1 Visa Limitations and Work Rules
Nearly all international college athletes, including Maluach, use an F-1 student visa. This type of visa has strict rules:
– F-1 students can only work on campus, and for no more than 20 hours a week while school is in session.
– Most of the time, participating on a school sports team does not count as “employment.”
– F-1 students have to follow these rules carefully, or risk losing their right to stay in the country.
These work restrictions become even more complicated as the rules around college sports change—especially with new ways athletes can make money.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Complications
One of the biggest changes in college sports in recent years is the NIL policy. Now, student-athletes can make money by selling their name, image, or likeness. This means if you are a well-known player, you might be able to appear in commercials, sign memorabilia, or get paid for endorsements.
But for international students on F-1 visas, there’s a big problem:
– Making money from NIL may count as “unauthorized employment.”
– F-1 visa rules do not allow this type of work off campus.
– Even a minor mistake could mean the student loses their legal status, faces deportation, and could be banned from the United States 🇺🇸 for years.
This double standard means that while U.S.-born student-athletes can earn money and benefit from their fame, international student-athletes like Khaman Maluach are left out. Even if they bring huge value to Duke University by driving wins or helping attract fans, they are not able to share in those rewards.
The Question of Employee Status
There are also lawsuits and legal efforts now seeking to let college athletes—both domestic and foreign—share in the money college sports generate. Some people want athletes to be considered employees, which would mean they could be paid for their work.
But this brings even more risk for international athletes:
– If they were called “employees” instead of “students,” the rules about their visas would change.
– Most student visas don’t allow international students to work as employees.
– Schools and athletes risk breaking U.S. immigration laws if they start treating international athletes as employees or paying them, even with changing court decisions.
As colleges try to find a balance between these new rules and the old visa laws, foreign athletes remain stuck in the middle.
The Effects on American College Sports
The sudden unpredictability of U.S. immigration rules doesn’t just impact the athletes themselves. It threatens the strength and competitiveness of entire college athletic programs. Some universities—especially those with successful programs like Duke—rely on the skills and talent of international student-athletes. If these athletes fear coming to or staying in the United States 🇺🇸, they may choose to play for schools in other countries instead.
The real risks include:
– Teams suddenly losing key players in the middle of a season due to a new visa policy.
– Coaches struggling to recruit new talent from overseas because of unclear rules.
– International athletes missing practices, games, or even exams because of fear over their status.
For schools, the challenge is even bigger. If they make a mistake—intentionally or accidentally—by letting an international student break the visa rules, they can face legal troubles and possible penalties from the government.
The Need for Clear and Fair Policies
Maluach’s story shines a spotlight on the pressing need for clear rules and better help for colleges and international students. It’s not just a problem for one athlete, or one school like Duke University—it’s a national concern. If the system is too hard to understand, unfair, or unpredictable, it’s likely that fewer talented student-athletes from places like South Sudan 🇸🇸 or other countries will choose to come to the United States 🇺🇸 in the future.
Many people are now calling for:
– Official guidance from U.S. immigration agencies on how new rules (like NIL) fit with student visas.
– Possible changes to U.S. immigration laws to better match the realities of college sports today.
– Immediate relief for athletes stuck by sudden policy changes—so they don’t lose their education or their dreams.
Letting top athletes—no matter where they are from—continue their education and careers would help keep college sports strong. At the same time, fixing these visa issues would show the world that the United States 🇺🇸 values fair play, opportunity, and the contributions of young people from around the globe.
Options and Next Steps for Maluach and Similar Athletes
For Maluach and others in his spot, the most pressing question is: what can be done right now? While long-term changes to U.S. immigration law take time, short-term fixes may be possible.
These include:
– Colleges working with immigration lawyers to find any ways for students to stay while policy matters are sorted out.
– Seeking options for humanitarian relief or temporary status renewals for students affected by country-specific bans.
– Efforts by advocacy groups, sports organizations, and lawmakers to push for “bridge” solutions that help students like Maluach finish their education.
You can read official guidance on student visas through the U.S. Department of State website, especially the Student Visa (F Visa) page.
In every case, however, the law is the law—until or unless it is changed by Congress or by a new decision from the government. For now, Maluach and hundreds of athletes supported by their universities are waiting and hoping for a quick and fair solution.
The Broader Message to International Student-Athletes
Khaman Maluach’s journey serves as more than just an individual case study. It represents a warning sign for the entire college sports community. It asks a hard question: Will U.S. immigration policy keep up with today’s changing world, or will it push away talented young people?
What is clear is that:
– Students and athletes from outside the United States 🇺🇸 bring talent, diversity, and strength to American colleges.
– The current “patchwork” of rules and exceptions leaves them vulnerable to sudden change.
– Fair, updated policies are needed to protect the dreams of everyone willing to learn and compete at the college level.
The story happening with Maluach at Duke University is unlikely to be the last of its kind. As the NCAA and college sports continue to draw players from all over the world, and as college sports become bigger business, these visa challenges will keep coming up—unless real action is taken.
Conclusion
Khaman Maluach has become a symbol of the changing times for international student-athletes in America. The direct effects of U.S. immigration changes are clear in the way his daily life, education, and basketball career have been turned upside down. By telling his story, and pointing out the risks and unfairness felt by so many others in his situation, there is hope that leaders will act.
For now, the message to athletes, schools, and policymakers is simple: clearer, kinder, and more predictable rules are urgently needed. Otherwise, the United States 🇺🇸 may find itself losing not only great players like Maluach, but also its role as the top destination for students and sports talent from around the world.
For ongoing and official updates on student-visa rules and news, readers can visit the official State Department student visa page or consult with their campus international office. Through strong support and clear policy, the hope is that stories like Maluach’s will soon have better endings, and that the future of American college sports will remain open to the world’s best and brightest.
Learn Today
F-1 Visa → A nonimmigrant student visa allowing international students to study full-time at accredited U.S. educational institutions.
Visa Revocation → The cancellation of permission to enter or remain in a country, often due to political or legal changes.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) → Policy allowing student-athletes to earn money using their personal brand through endorsements or appearances.
NCAA → National Collegiate Athletic Association, governing body for college sports in the United States.
Deportation → Forced removal of a foreign national from a country due to violation of immigration laws or loss of status.
This Article in a Nutshell
Duke’s Khaman Maluach faces losing his F-1 visa as U.S. revokes permits for South Sudanese passport holders. Strict rules prevent international athletes from profiting via NIL deals. This exposes the urgent need for immigration reforms or risk pushing away talented students vital to American college sports and diversity.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• Operation Take Back America charges 310 in Arizona immigration cases
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada reports slower processing times
• Arizona advocates look to Pope Francis for change on immigration issues
• ACLU Louisiana Slams Landry’s ‘Operation Geaux’ Immigration Push
• U.S. Department of Transportation sued over immigration policy tied to funding
