WASHINGTON (KABC) — The Trump administration steered Thursday it might revoke present visas or deny them to candidates in the event that they celebrated or made gentle of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted on X saying he is directed consular officers to “undertake acceptable motion.”
“I’ve been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making gentle of the occasion, and have directed our consular officers to undertake acceptable motion,” he wrote. “Please be at liberty to convey such feedback by foreigners to my consideration in order that the @StateDept can defend the American folks.”
A State Division spokesperson instructed ABC Information that the Trump administration “doesn’t imagine that the US ought to grant visas to individuals whose presence in our nation doesn’t align with U.S. nationwide safety pursuits” when requested how it might implement the coverage introduced by Landau.
Beneath President Donald Trump, the State Division has ramped up what it calls “expanded screening and vetting” of many visa candidates’ social media accounts, requiring that they set their on-line profiles to public and inspecting their feeds for posts it finds anti-American or antisemitic.
Earlier this 12 months, Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced that worldwide college students and different international nationals who had been deemed to have demonstrated assist for Hamas might have their visas revoked.
The State Division has utilized AI expertise to evaluate international nationals’ social media accounts for posts that run counter to the U.S.’ nationwide safety pursuits.
The administration has confronted authorized challenges over issues for First Modification protections and due course of, nevertheless it has argued that visas are granted on the discretion of the State Division and that they’re a privilege, not a proper, for any international nationwide.
ABC Information contributed to this report.
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