Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that the Biden administration has begun revoking visas of foreign nationals who “celebrate the death” of political commentator Charlie Kirk or other American citizens.
"America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens," Rubio wrote on X, adding, "Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported. You are not welcome in this country." He had made similar remarks earlier in an interview on Fox News, saying visa holders should be held to a "very high" standard and that the government should revoke visas for those who publicly support the murder of a political figure.
The announcement follows the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, an event that has prompted widespread reaction on social media, including posts that federal officials say praise or mock the killing. Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau asked the public to alert the department to posts by foreign nationals that appear to glorify the violence and said he had ordered consular officials to take "appropriate action."
"I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action," Landau posted on X. He added that "foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome" in the United States.
Rubio and Landau offered no immediate public tally of how many visas have been revoked specifically in connection with social-media posts about Kirk’s killing. The State Department has in recent months used social-media screenings as part of visa reviews: officials previously revoked more than 6,000 student visas after reviewing foreign-born college students' posts for expressions of sympathy for Hamas or other designated terror groups.
The administration's statements indicate a broader effort to use visa authorities to address foreign conduct online when it is deemed to pose a threat to public safety or national security. Federal consular officers have long had the authority to deny or cancel visas for numerous grounds, including criminality, security concerns and false statements on visa applications; officials in Washington said the reviews now include scrutinizing public social-media content by visa holders and applicants.
Critics of broadened social-media checks have previously warned such steps could chill speech and raise civil liberties concerns, while supporters say they are necessary to prevent foreign actors or visitors from fomenting or celebrating violence on U.S. soil. Rubio framed the action as protecting Americans and upholding standards for people invited to the country as students, tourists or visitors.
The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment on Monday about the scope of the visa revocations tied to posts about Kirk’s death or the procedures consular officers would follow. Law enforcement and immigration authorities did not announce arrests tied to online celebrations of the assassination.
As officials proceed with visa reviews and revocations, the developments add to ongoing debate over how governments should respond to violent ideology and the use of social media as both a tool for communication and an evidentiary source in immigration and security decisions.
