The U.S. State Department has revoked the visas of foreigners who mocked or trivialized the assassination of conservative commentor Charlie Kirk.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the State Department investigated social media content related to Kirk’s assassination and subsequently canceled the visas of six foreign individuals.
While the identities of those whose visas were revoked have not been disclosed, they are believed to be citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa.
Kirk was shot and killed by a sniper during an outdoor rally at a university in Utah on September 10.
In the aftermath, the Trump administration and its supporters have targeted individuals who expressed inappropriate views regarding Kirk’s death, leading to numerous firings and disciplinary actions against teachers, journalists, and others. This crackdown has ignited a heated debate over freedom of speech.
High-ranking U.S. officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, went so far as to order a search for those who disparaged Kirk’s assassination online.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau took to X, expressing his disgust at attempts to justify Kirk’s assassination on social media.
The State Department issued a statement declaring, “We will remove foreigners who abuse the hospitality extended by the United States and celebrate the assassination of our citizens.”
According to the AP, the State Department has identified thousands of foreign nationals – including international students supporting protests against Israeli military operations in Gaza – who may face potential deportation.
The Trump administration previously expelled the South African ambassador for criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and recently canceled the entry visa for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who was scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly.
The U.S. government is currently reviewing the status of approximately 55 million foreign nationals holding stay visas to determine if they are violating any conditions of their stay.
