Criticize Charlie Kirk, Lose Your US Visa? State Dept. Says Yes

Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday. (AP Photo)

October 15, 2025 - Washington, D.C. - The Trump administration has revoked the visas of at least six foreign nationals for posting social media comments deemed celebratory or derisive of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the State Department announced Tuesday. The move, part of a broader crackdown on criticism of Kirk, has ignited fierce debate over free speech rights and immigration enforcement.

Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA—a key player in mobilizing young conservative voters during President Donald Trump's reelection campaign—was fatally shot on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The gunman, 24-year-old Ethan Caldwell, a former student radicalized online, opened fire during a rally attended by over 5,000 people, killing Kirk instantly and wounding two others. Caldwell, who cited Kirk's "hateful rhetoric" in a manifesto, was killed by security forces at the scene.

The State Department's announcement came via a series of posts on X, where it shared anonymized screenshots of the offending comments and declared: "The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans." The department added that it is "continuing to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk," signaling more revocations could follow.

The six affected individuals hail from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Paraguay, and South Africa. Their visas—likely tourist, student, or work-related—were canceled under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that allow for inadmissibility based on threats to national security or public safety. Specific examples cited by the State Department include:

• An Argentine national who wrote: "Kirk devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric and deserves to burn in hell."

• A Mexican who posted: "Kirk died being a racist, he died being a misogynist... there are people who deserve to die."

• A German who stated: "When fascists die, democrats don’t complain."

• A Brazilian who commented: "Kirk died too late."

• A South African who mocked mourners, saying: "They’re hurt that the racist rally ended in attempted martyrdom... he was used to astroturf a movement of white nationalist trailer trash!"

• A Paraguayan talk show host, Enrique "Kike" Gamarra, known for critiquing conservative governments, whose exact comment was not detailed but tied to "making light" of the killing.

The revocations were first flagged after Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau urged social media users in September to report "posts praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event." Secretary of State Marco Rubio had warned that such actions would trigger deportations or visa cancellations, framing them as enforcement of "our borders, our culture, and our citizens."

The actions coincide with heightened tributes to Kirk. On October 14—what would have been his 32nd birthday—Trump posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a White House ceremony attended by Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, Vice President JD Vance, and Turning Point USA supporters. Trump called Kirk a "great American hero" and "martyr for freedom," proclaiming the day a national day of remembrance. Erika Kirk, tearfully accepting the honor, remarked: "Charlie would have run for president one day... This gift ensures his legacy lives on."

Since Kirk's death, the administration and allies have pursued a sweeping campaign against critics. A New York Times investigation found over 145 Americans—journalists, teachers, and public figures—fired, suspended, or forced to resign over similar comments. High-profile cases include late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's temporary suspension (later reversed) for quipping about the shooting and the expulsion of South Africa's U.S. ambassador for anti-Trump remarks. Vice President Vance encouraged reporting critics to their employers, while Turning Point USA rallies have drawn crowds exceeding 10,000 in states like Utah and Arizona.

Civil liberties groups decried the visa revocations as unconstitutional. Conor Fitzpatrick of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) stated: "You can’t defend 'our culture' by eroding the very cornerstone of what America stands for: freedom of speech and thought." The Supreme Court has affirmed that noncitizens enjoy First Amendment protections, even on visas. Immigration attorney Eric Lee of the Consular Accountability Project pledged pro bono representation for affected individuals, vowing challenges in federal court.

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod posted on X: "US revokes visas for 6 foreigners for derisive posthumous comments about Charlie Kirk—who was, ironically, a self-styled champion of free speech!" On X, users mocked the hypocrisy, noting Vance's dismissal of leaked Young Republicans chats joking about "gas chambers" and rape as "edgy kid stuff," while Kirk comments trigger deportations.

This fits into the Trump administration's expanded social media vetting, which has revoked thousands of student visas since January 2025, often for pro-Palestinian activism or policy critiques. Critics, including the ACLU, argue it chills global discourse and invites abuse.

The State Department did not respond to requests for comment on potential appeals or further targets. As investigations into Kirk's assassination continue— with the FBI probing online radicalization— the visa saga underscores deepening U.S. political divides.