Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, has been barred from entering Australia following the release of his controversial song titled “Heil Hitler.”
The Australian immigration authorities made the decision shortly after the track’s debut, which sparked international outrage for glorifying Adolf Hitler and promoting hate speech.
According to BBC, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, confirmed the decision, citing serious concerns over the rapper’s support for extremism and antisemitism. “Once he released the ‘Heil Hitler’ song, he no longer had a valid visa to enter Australia,” Burke told local media.
Ye, who had planned to visit the country with his wife, Bianca Censori, a Melbourne-born architect, who almost went nude during the Grammy, now faces a travel ban under Australia’s Migration Act.
The ban comes amid growing global backlash over the song, which reportedly includes samples from a 1935 Nazi rally speech and repeated chants of “Heil Hitler.”
Streaming platforms acted quickly, with Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music pulling the song from their catalogues after calls for action from human rights and Jewish organisations.
In Australia, Jewish groups welcomed the move. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry praised the swift government response, warning that Ye’s platform could cause “immeasurable harm.”
The organisation stressed that the song wasn’t just offensive; it posed a serious danger to public safety, especially during a time when antisemitic incidents are reportedly on the rise.
This isn’t Ye’s first controversy involving antisemitic remarks. Over the past few years, he has made several public statements praising Hitler, denying the Holocaust, and pushing conspiracy theories targeting Jewish communities.
Though he issued a social media apology earlier this year, claiming he was “done with antisemitism,” the release of “Heil Hitler” appeared to contradict that message.
Australia has recently strengthened its visa policies to combat hate speech. Authorities emphasised that even celebrities are not exempt. While the ban on Ye may not be permanent, Burke made it clear that any future applications from the rapper would face close scrutiny.