Washington– The Trump administration has revoked the visas of six foreigners deemed by US officials to have made sarcastic comments or disparaged the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month.
The State Department said Tuesday it determined they should lose their visas after reviewing their online social media posts and clips about Kirk, who was killed while speaking on the University of Utah campus on Sept. 10.
The announcement came as President Donald Trump posthumously awarded him America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. At Kirk’s funeral in September, Trump called him a “great American hero” and a “martyr” for freedom.
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The administration and its supporters have targeted people for their comments about Kirk, leading to the firing or other disciplinary action of journalists, teachers, and others, and raising concerns about free speech.
The six foreigners whose visas were canceled are from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay and South Africa. They were not identified.
The State Department said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “will defend our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws.” “Foreigners who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed.”
People carry posters of Charlie Kirk during a Turning Point USA rally at Utah State University, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Logan, Utah.
AP Photo/Alex Goodlett
Vice President J.D. Vance and other senior US officials have encouraged people to denounce Kirk’s offensive language they see online. In an unusual tweet last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau asked social media users to copy what he said in any relevant posts, saying he personally was “disgusted to see some on social media praising, excusing, or mocking the event, and has directed our consular officials to take appropriate action.”
In addition to Tuesday’s action, the administration has intensified its efforts to identify and potentially expel thousands of foreign nationals in the United States, particularly students, who it says have either incited or participated in unrest or publicly supported protests against Israeli military operations in Gaza. The administration also refused to grant visas to applicants whose policies were criticized on social media.
Among the notable cases, the administration expelled South Africa’s ambassador to the United States over comments critical of Trump, canceled a visa for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly, and withdrew visas for British punk-rap duo Bob Phelan. It said it was reviewing the status of more than 55 million current US visa holders for potential violations of its standards.
Civil rights groups have criticized the measures as a violation of constitutional protections for free speech, which apply to anyone in the United States and not just American citizens.
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