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The Trump administration has revoked the visas of six foreigners who US officials believe made sarcastic comments or highlighted the murder of a conservative activist. charlie kirk Last month.
state Department It said Tuesday it had decided he should cancel his visa after reviewing online social media posts and clips about Kirk, who was murdered during a speech on a Utah college campus on Sept. 10.
announced as president donald trump He was being posthumously honored with America’s highest civilian honor Presidential Medal of FreedomAt Kirk’s funeral in September, Trump called him a “great American hero” and a “martyr” for freedom.
The administration and its supporters have targeted people for their comments about Kirk, leading to the firing of journalists, teachers and others or taking other disciplinary action and raising concerns over freedom of speech.
The six foreigners whose visas were canceled were from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay and South Africa. He could not be identified.
Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will “protect our borders, our culture, and our citizens by enforcing our immigration laws,” the State Department said. ,aliens “Those who take advantage of America’s hospitality while celebrating the murder of our citizens will be removed.”
Vice President J.D. Vance and other top US officials have encouraged people to speak out against Kirk about offensive language they see online. In an unusual tweet last month, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau asked social media users to copy him on any relevant posts, adding that he was personally “disappointed to see some people on social media glorifying, rationalizing, or making light of the incident, and have directed our consular officers to take appropriate action.”
In addition to Tuesday’s action, the administration has stepped up efforts to identify and potentially expel thousands of foreigners in the United States, particularly students, who it says have either instigated or participated in unrest or publicly supported protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The administration has also refused visas to applicants whose social media history has been critical of its policies.
In high-profile cases, the administration has expelled South Africa’s ambassador to the United States for comments criticizing Trump, revoked a visa for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the United Nations General Assembly and revoked a visa for British punk-rap duo Bob Wynn. It said it was reviewing the status of more than 55 million current US visa holders for possible violations of its standards.
Those actions have been criticized by civil rights groups as a violation of constitutional protections for freedom of speech, which apply to anyone in the United States, not just American citizens.