State Department Revokes Visas for Foreign Nationals Celebrating Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
The U.S. State Department has taken the rare step of revoking visas for foreign nationals who publicly celebrated the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau announced the actions on X, emphasizing that foreigners who glorify violence have no place in the United States.
“In light of yesterday’s horrific assassination of a leading political figure, I want to underscore that foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” Landau wrote on Thursday.
He added, “I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action. Please feel free to bring such comments by foreigners to my attention.”
The revocations reportedly include a range of individuals, including a neurosurgeon, highlighting the department’s broad crackdown on those who appear to exploit U.S. entry privileges to promote or celebrate violent acts.
Among those targeted by the visa revocations was Brazilian neurosurgeon Ricardo Barbosa.
An X user flagged Barbosa after he allegedly posted — and later deleted — a comment that read, “A shout-out to this comrade with impeccable aim. Cervical spine.”
The post drew immediate condemnation, prompting the State Department to include him in its actions against foreign nationals who celebrated Kirk’s assassination.
Deputy Secretary Landau condemned the post in stark terms, highlighting the chilling nature of a licensed medical professional celebrating violence.
“Of all the depraved online content I’ve seen, this one may be the most chilling. This is a NEUROSURGEON from Brazil. He not only commends Charlie Kirk’s assassin for his ‘impeccable aim,’ but then with surgical precision specifies ‘cervical spine.’ This is a licensed professional who took the Hippocratic Oath? ‘Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm,’” Landau wrote.
He added, “I have personally directed the head of Consular Affairs to revoke his U.S. visa if he has one and to place an alert on him to make sure he never receives one. I would also like to think the Brazilian licensing authorities would take an interest in a neurosurgeon who publicly wishes death on people with whose political views he disagrees.”
Landau also announced the revocation of visas for the British rap duo Bob Vylan after frontman Bobby Vylan publicly celebrated Kirk’s assassination.
The deputy secretary explained, “The State Department has revoked his visa so at least he will not be engaging in his grotesque diatribes on American soil.”
Bobby Vylan’s post was accompanied by a graphic in Spanish reading “EL QUITAVISAS,” which translates to “THE VISA REMOVER.”
Landau also used the same graphic when responding to other flagged comments, signaling that the authors of such posts could face expulsion from the United States.
The message from the State Department was unambiguous: imported hate will not be tolerated.
“Americans have the First Amendment right to say vile things. We do not have to tolerate foreigners here as guests fomenting hate and celebrating the killing of an American icon,” Landau emphasized.
