The Australian government has officially canceled the visa of American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, following the release of a highly controversial song titled “Heil Hitler”, which promotes Nazi ideology.
The decision was confirmed on Tuesday by Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, who stated that the release of the song in May triggered a reassessment of Kanye West’s visa status. This action comes months after the rapper’s series of antisemitic posts on social media platform X, where he made disturbing statements like “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi.”
Minister Burke explained that while Kanye West’s earlier comments did not immediately affect his immigration standing, the content of the new song crossed a clear line.
“It was a lower-level visa and the officials still looked at the law and said, ‘You’re going to have a song and promote that sort of Nazism, we don’t need that in Australia,’” Burke told journalists.
He further emphasized the country’s firm stance on hate speech and bigotry.
“We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry,” he added.
West, who is married to Australian architect Bianca Censori, has had long-standing personal ties to the country and was a frequent visitor. However, the visa cancellation marks a significant shift in how the government is handling high-profile figures who promote hate-filled rhetoric.
The Home Affairs Ministry declined to provide the exact date the visa was revoked but confirmed the decision was final. It places West among other recent figures barred from entering Australia, including pro-Israel influencer Hillel Fuld and conservative U.S. commentator Candace Owens, both of whom faced entry bans in recent months.
The visa cancellation sends a strong message from Australian authorities: the country will not tolerate the spread of extremist ideologies, no matter the celebrity status of those involved.
