The Australian government has officially cancelled the visa of American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, following the release of a controversial song titled “Heil Hitler” that has been widely condemned for promoting Nazi ideology.
Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, confirmed the visa revocation, explaining that the decision was made after authorities reassessed West’s eligibility in light of the track’s content, which was released in May.
The song follows a string of antisemitic comments made by West on social media platforms, including alarming posts on X where he stated, “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi.”
“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 reporters.
He continued, “We have enough problems in this country already without deliberately importing bigotry.”
While West’s previous antisemitic remarks did not trigger immigration consequences, Burke noted that the release of new material prompted a formal review that ultimately led to the visa’s cancellation.
Although the Home Affairs Ministry declined to disclose the exact date the visa was withdrawn, the action marks a significant step in Australia’s recent pattern of tightening entry rules for individuals accused of spreading hate speech.
West, who is married to Australian architect Bianca Censori, has been a frequent visitor to the country and has longstanding personal ties to Australia.
This development adds to a list of recent visa denials issued by the Australian government, including bans on pro-Israel activist Hillel Fuld in June and U.S. conservative commentator Candace Owens in October.
