The State Department has announced it may revoke visas for foreigners who glorify violence following the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk at an event in Utah on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau expressed that federal officials are intensifying their efforts against those making light of Kirk’s violent death on social media. He urged users to report any concerning content.
“Given the shocking assassination of a prominent political figure, I want to stress that foreigners who endorse violence and hatred aren’t welcome in our country,” Landau stated on social media.
“I’m quite frustrated by the praise and trivializing of this event online, and I’ve told consular officials to take necessary actions. We encourage people to reach out to us with any such comments by foreigners to help @statedept protect the American populace.”
In response, social media users shared screenshots of offensive tweets from immigrants celebrating Kirk’s assassination. It reflects a troubling sentiment in some online communities.
Landau also commented on various posts, which included graphic imagery and phrases like “elkitabisa,” referring to visa removal in a Spanish dialect.
Kirk, a father of two, was shot once in the neck while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University, marking an event in his tour. The shooter managed to flee the scene and was still at large as of Thursday night.
The FBI has since released images of the suspect, a college athlete clad in dark attire, and is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his capture.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed sadness over the loss of the 31-year-old media personality, stating that Kirk’s commitment to the country would have a lasting impact.
“It’s absolutely devastating. We know that innocent lives are lost, families are affected, and this type of violence has no place in our society,” Rubio remarked.
Earlier this year, the State Department had begun monitoring social media activity for foreign university students, planning to revoke the visas of those who expressed support for groups like Hamas. Over 6,000 student visas have been canceled since that initiative started.
