WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration recently revoked the visas of six foreign nationals after determining that their comments on social media regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk were disrespectful. This decision was announced by the State Department, which reviewed their online posts and found them inappropriate. Charlie Kirk was tragically killed on September 10 while speaking at a college in Utah.
The action coincided with President Donald Trump posthumously awarding Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. At Kirk's funeral in September, Trump praised him as a “great American hero” and a “martyr” for freedom, further elevating his status among supporters of the administration.
The administration's approach to handling comments regarding Kirk has extended to various professions, resulting in firings and disciplinary actions against journalists, educators, and others who commented negatively about him. This has raised alarms regarding free speech, as these measures directly target individuals for expressing opinions online.
The six individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa, who had their visas revoked, remain unnamed. The State Department emphasized that the administration is committed to defending U.S. borders and culture, stating, “Aliens who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”
Vice President J.D. Vance and other U.S. officials have encouraged citizens to report any offensive remarks about Kirk found on social media. In an unusual outreach, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau requested users to tag him in relevant posts, expressing his disgust towards sentiments that praised or rationalized the assassination, stating that appropriate actions would be taken by consular officials.
Furthermore, the administration has intensified its efforts to identify and possibly expel thousands of foreigners residing in the United States, particularly students accused of instigating unrest or publicly supporting protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza. There is a trend of denying visas to individuals whose social media activity is critical of the government’s policies.
Among notable instances of visa revocation, the administration expelled South Africa’s ambassador for critical comments aimed at Trump, revoked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s visa for the U.N. General Assembly, and canceled the visas of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan. The administration is also reviewing the status of over 55 million individuals holding U.S. visas for potential violations of its set standards.
These actions have drawn criticism from civil rights organizations, who argue that they violate constitutional protections of freedom of speech applicable to everyone within U.S. borders, not just American citizens. The current climate suggests that the administration is willing to take drastic measures against those whose expressions are viewed as contrary to its values or policies.
