On Thursday, September 11, the U.S. State Department issued a warning to foreign visa applicants and visa holders, stating that those who express support for the assassination of prominent conservative figure Charlie Kirk may face visa rejection, revocation, or even deportation.
Charlie Kirk was tragically shot and killed by a gunman from a distance during an event at Utah Valley University in Utah on Wednesday afternoon, shocking both the United States and the international community.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau made a rare post on a social media platform expressing extreme disgust towards certain online posts and instructing consular officials to “take appropriate action.”
“In light of the tragic assassination of a prominent political figure yesterday, I want to emphasize that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors in our country,” Landau said.
Furthermore, Landau stated, “I am deeply offended by individuals on social media who praise, justify, or belittle this event, and have instructed our consular officials to take appropriate action. Please inform me of any such remarks made by foreigners at any time so that the State Department can protect the American people.”
Following Landau’s statement, some netizens reported several posts with similar sentiments on the social media platform. In response, Landau shared an image of the U.S. coat of arms under a spotlight, titled in Spanish “El Quitavisas,” roughly translated as “Visa Revoker.”
Earlier this year, Landau announced the revocation of the visa of British punk rapper Bob Vylan and his team for leading a crowd in chanting “Death to the Israeli army.”
In June, the U.S. State Department announced it would monitor social media posts of visa applicants and instructed them to set their accounts to “public.”
Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and father of two, was co-founder of the organization “Turning Point USA.” He was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, as part of the “America’s comeback tour,” which drew an audience of approximately 3,000 people.
At the event, Kirk was answering questions from attendees about a mass shooting involving transgender individuals when he was shot in the neck.
Law enforcement officials found the weapon on Thursday, a high-powered bolt-action rifle. Authorities believe the bullet came from a rooftop about 200 yards away. The FBI released photos of the suspect and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to their capture.