Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, mentioned on Monday that the process for revoking visas is currently in progress for foreign visitors who have celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk.
Rubio stated, “America is hosting foreigners who celebrate the deaths of our fellow citizens.” He indicated that the visa revocation process is active and warned, “If you are on a visa and endorse the public assassination of political figures, be ready to be deported.”
Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was shot dead last week during an event at Utah Valley University. He was closely associated with President Trump and other officials from the administration.
During an interview with Fox News, Rubio said the State Department would deny visas to anyone applauding Kirk’s death and would actively cancel those already held.
“We are not in the business of welcoming those who intend to engage in negativity and destruction,” Rubio explained. “Anyone invited to the U.S., whether as a student or tourist, should meet a high standard.”
Following Kirk’s murder, a group called the Charlie Kirk Data Foundation started compiling a list of individuals who had posted congratulatory messages regarding his death.
The organization shared on social media that over 63,000 such messages had been recorded by Sunday, although their website was taken down by Tuesday.
Vice President Vance expressed that those who support Kirk’s murder should be terminated from their jobs, mentioning instances where university employees and airline pilots have lost their positions for celebrating the shooting.
“Feel free to contact their employers. While we don’t endorse political violence, there’s nothing polite about celebrating a political assassination,” Vance stated during a podcast featuring Kirk.
Since January, the State Department has intensified efforts to revoke visas, noting that over 6,000 student visas have been rescinded since Trump took office last August. The administration has particularly focused on Palestinian students, arguing that their support for Hamas undermines U.S. foreign policy.
Additionally, last month, the State Department began a comprehensive review of all visa holders abroad, totaling over 55 million. This initiative is aimed at identifying support for criminal activities, threats to public safety, or any affiliations with terrorist organizations.
