US to revoke visa for foreigners celebrating public assassinations; Secretary of State
US to revoke visa for foreigners celebrating public assassinations; Secretary of State
Secretary of State Marc Rubio says US will revoke Visa for foreigners celebrating public assassinations in the country.
Foreigners planning to travel to the United States of America to study or work may face challenges after the US government announced stricter visa measures.
This is after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a hard line on visa revocations, calling for strict action against foreign nationals who publicly celebrate violence or behave in ways he deems incompatible with U.S. values.
Rubio announced that the State Department is revoking visas for foreigners who celebrated the killing of political commentator Charlie Kirk.
“If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported,” he said in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens.”
In a Fox News interview, Rubio elaborated on the policy, arguing that visa holders must uphold certain behavioural standards.
“If we invite someone to visit the United States of America, as a student, as a tourist, as whatever—the standard they should be held to is very high,” Rubio said.
“We should not be giving visas to people who are going to come to the United States and do things like celebrate the murder, the execution, the assassination of a political figure.”
Rubio has defended these measures as part of a broader effort to ensure national security and maintain respect for American laws and principles.
During a Senate subcommittee hearing, he made a related remark referencing the revocation of student visas, saying, “A visa is not a right, It’s a privilege.”
The policy has already affected hundreds of foreign nationals.
More than 300 visas have reportedly been revoked in connection with pro-Palestinian activism, particularly among those associated with protests on university campuses.
Rubio has characterised some of the individuals involved in these events as “lunatics.”
Rubio’s critics argue that these revocations raise serious questions about free speech, due process, and the potential for political or ideological abuse.
Rubio has responded by emphasising that visa holders, especially those in the U.S., must behave in ways that align with the country’s laws and moral expectations.
“Why would we want to bring people into our country that are going to engage in negative and destructive behaviour? It makes no sense,” he said in the Fox News interview.
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