Kanye West Denied Entry to Australia Due to Antisemitic Song, Minister Reveals

Rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, was denied entry to Australia due to his release of a song with antisemitic lyrics titled Heil Hitler, according to Immigration Minister Tony Burke.

Mr. Burke stated that West's valid visa was cancelled by officials in his department after reviewing the offensive comments made in the song. The visa was not for concert purposes but a lower-level one, and officials decided that promoting Nazism was not acceptable in Australia.

In a related discussion, Mr. Burke mentioned the apparent visa cancellation of Israeli-American tech advocate Hillel Fuld for Islamophobic remarks. Although no application was received from Mr. Fuld, the minister indicated that advocating Islamophobia would also not be tolerated for entry into Australia.

Mr. Burke emphasized that a stricter approach was taken for individuals visiting Australia for public advocacy, with West being the only case he could recall where a visa was cancelled for non-advocacy reasons.

Speculation had arisen in 2023 about West's ability to visit Australia, especially since his wife Bianca Censori is from there. Government officials had previously raised concerns about his history of antisemitic remarks.

Mr. Burke clarified that there was no permanent ban on West, as visa applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the law. He stressed the importance of not importing bigotry into the country.

According to the source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation.