On October 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of State revoked the visas of six foreign nationals after they publicly celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Were these foreign nationals denied their freedom of speech? Let’s take a look.
Freedom of Speech
The Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees all Americans the right to free speech. The text reads:
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech…“
This protection applies to all persons within U.S. jurisdiction — not just citizens. :
- Native-born citizens
- Naturalized citizens
- Lawful permanent residents
- Undocumented immigrants, in many cases
- Foreign nationals on U.S. soil
Freedom of Consequences?
While the Constitution guarantees the right to free speech, it does not guarantee that there won’t be consequences for your free speech. This pattern has repeated many times since Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10.
- Many people openly celebrated the assassination of Charlie Kirk on social media and in public. This display disgusted many, as it celebrated political violence and the loss of a human life. Yet the First Amendment protects this type of speech. Employers fired several individuals over their comments, and authorities referred others to the FBI and the Secret Service for threats they made against other people.
- Just this week, six foreign nationals had their visas revoked for celebrating Kirk’s death in public. The State Department’s actions have received a mixed reaction. Some people support the action because they feel admission to the U.S. is a privilege and not a right. Dissenters think that the actions restrict the free speech of immigrants. As always, there are valid arguments on both sides of the issue.
Should the Government Hold Visa Holders to a Different Standard?
Yes, they should. I am from the camp that believes admission to the U.S. is a privilege and not a right. Although the visa holders expressed themselves in disturbing and disgusting ways, the Constitution still granted them the right to speak freely. However, because they hold visas, they must follow specific rules. If they violate these conditions, the government can revoke their visas for several reasons:
- National security concerns
- Public safety threats
- Fraud or misrepresentation
- Violation of visa terms (e.g., working on a tourist visa)
Authorities identified them as public safety threats because they celebrated political violence — and rightly so. Visa holders should make an effort to assimilate into our culture. Our culture does not support political violence and/or wishing death on American citizens. I believe the government got this right.
The Catholic View
Jesus consistently taught that every person bears the image of God and that vengeance, hatred, and mockery have no place in the hearts of His followers. Based on Jesus’ teaching, celebrating someone’s death is a failure of love, mercy, and humility:
- Jesus taught us to love our enemies in Matthew 5:44 – “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you”
- We are taught not to judge or condemn others in Luke 6:37 – “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
- Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
I hope that other foreign nationals will consider being in America a privilege and work to assimilate into our culture and values as a Christian nation. Please share your thoughts about this article in the “Comments” section.
Peace
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