U.S. revokes visas of foreign nationals over Charlie Kirk comments

by · UPI

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The Trump administration said it has revoked the visas of six foreign nationals who posted social media messages disparaging slain conservative activist and provocateur Charlie Kirk.

"The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans," the State Department said in a statement.

The announcement of the visa revocations was made Tuesday, the same day President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Kirk was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities have arrested Tyler Robinson, 22, with the murder.

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The founder of the conservative Turning Point USA nonprofit, Kirk was celebrated by many conservatives for spreading their message among university students, while critics have accused him of using racist, xenophobic, anti-LGBTQ and misogynistic rhetoric to promote policies some have described as discriminatory.

Shortly after Kirk's death, as comments began appearing online, the Trump administration warned non-citizens against making disparaging remarks about the Trump ally.

Officials also urged members of the public to report such comments to the State Department, which, under the Trump administration, has revoked visas from non-citizens whose presence in the United States is deemed to interfere with national interests.

Redacted copies of the statements made by the non-citizens whose visas were revoked were included in the State Department thread on X.

One Argentine national whose visa was revoked had written that they do not care about "the death of a person who devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric."

A South African whose visa was revoked had written that Kirk "was used to astroturf a movement of white nationalist trailer trash!"

A German national had written in German that "when fascists die, democrats don't' complain," without mentioning Kirk.

"Aliens who take advantage of America's hospitality while celebrating the assassination of our citizens will be removed," the State Department said.

However, the legality of the revocations is being questioned.

Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney and legislative advisor at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, told UPI in an emailed statement that this action is tantamount to censorship.

"Mere 'mockery' can't be grounds for adverse government action -- whether revocation or broadcast licenses or revocation of visas," she said, referring to other actions of the Trump administration that have attracted criticism of censorship.

"While the government can revoke visas for many reasons, the First Amendment forbids it from doing so based on viewpoint."