The United States state department confirmed it had revoked the visas of six foreigners over social media comments made about the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The announcement of the revocations came as US President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Kirk with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the US, on what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday.
“The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans,” the department said on X.
It listed South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Germany and Paraguay as the home countries of the people who had their visas revoked.
An Argentine citizen recently criticized Kirk, accusing him of promoting “racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric,” as reported by the state department.
Another person, according to the department, wrote in German: “When fascists die, democrats don’t complain.”
The state department said it continues to identify visa holders who it says celebrated Kirk’s assassination at a Utah university event last month.
It had previously warned the US would take action against foreigners “praising, rationalising, or making light” of Kirk’s death.
Since the beginning of the year, the Trump administration has intensified its efforts to curb immigration. This has involved heightened scrutiny of social media accounts, the revocation of thousands of student visas, and attempts to restrict the duration of others.
During a solemn ceremony, President Trump presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Erika, Kirk’s grieving widow. In a poignant moment, Trump likened the 31-year-old to historical figures such as Socrates, Saint Peter, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, underscoring his impact and legacy.
Handing the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Kirk’s tearful widow, Erika, Trump compared the 31-year-old to Socrates, Saint Peter, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King.
Trump also used the sombre ceremony at the White House to vow to redouble his crackdown on what he calls radical left-wing groups that he launched following Kirk’s shooting.
“In the wake of Charlie’s assassination, our country must have absolutely no tolerance for this radical left violence, extremism and terror,” Trump told an audience of the country’s conservative elite.
“We’re done with the angry mobs, and we’re not going to let our cities be unsafe.”
