American MAGA and anti-Islam influencer Valentina Gomez has received a travel ban from the United Kingdom. She gained notoriety for a series of anti-Islam stunts while she ran as a Republican candidate for Missouri Secretary of State.
Gomez, who was set to speak at a conservative rally in the U.K. in May, was previously given travel permission last week to enter the country under the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which sparked backlash from her critics.
The U.K. Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has since intervened to block Gomez’s ETA, reversing her authorization to enter the country. This move comes only days after American rapper Kanye West, also known as Ye, was banned from the U.K. for similar reasons.
Why The U.K. Revoked Valentina Gomez’s ETA
Gomez, 26, is a Christian who was born in Colombia. A vocal critic of Islam and a passionate MAGA influencer, she burned a copy of the Quran last August and vowed to eradicate the religion from Texas if she were elected to Congress.
While unsuccessfully standing for Republican nomination to Congress, Gomez said in a video posted to social media that her goal was to “end Islam in Texas.” She asked Muslims to leave the state, saying “Muslims can [expletive] off to any of the 57 Muslim nations.” It would appear that these stunts have led to her being banned from the U.K.
Gomez had been authorized to visit the U.K. the week prior under the country’s new ETA scheme (all Americans must now apply for an ETA to enter the country). She was due to speak at the Unite the Kingdom rally in London on May 16, organized by right-wing activist Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon).
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she celebrated her approved U.K. travel authorization. However, her ETA approval was met with criticism from opposing individuals and groups, including the Muslim Council of Britain, which wrote an open letter to the U.K. Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to challenge the “double standards in granting [visas] to divisive figures.”
“The open letter expresses the Muslim Council of Britain’s deep concern regarding the Home Office’s decision to allow Valentina Gomez entry into the United Kingdom to participate in a rally organized by Tommy Robinson […] next month. The decision highlights […] clear double standards in how freedom of speech is applied and can potentially lead to less safety and security on the streets of Britain,” the Muslim Council of Britain wrote on its website.
“Others have been denied entry to the UK for rhetoric directed at different faith groups. This inconsistency raises serious concerns about whose speech is deemed unacceptable and who is permitted,” the Council added.
Now, Gomez’s permission has been abruptly revoked following what is believed to be an intervention by Home Secretary Mahmood, who faced pressure to reverse the ETA.
The reason for Gomez’s travel ban is that her presence “would not be conducive to the public good,” according to the U.K. Home Office. It’s understood that her ETA was removed on grounds that the democratic right to expression and free speech doesn’t extend to hatred and extremism.
“While we recognize the democratic right that people must be free to peacefully express their views, this does not include promoting hatred and extremist views,” a source close to the U.K. Home Secretary said.
Mahmood, who became U.K. Home Secretary days after the first Unite the Kingdom rally last September, ultimately has the power to revoke any foreigner’s permission to enter or remain in the country. She didn’t use that power during Gomez’s last U.K. visit to attend the September march.
Valentina Gomez Had Traveled To The Same U.K. Rally In 2025
Gomez had attended the first Unite the Kingdom rally in September 2025, alongside Robinson. She warned from the stage that “rapist Muslims” were “taking over” the U.K.
“England, they took your guns, they took your swords, and they raped your women. You have nothing else to lose, but there’s still hope. You are still the majority. So you either fight for this nation or you let all of these rapist Muslims and corrupt politicians take over,” Gomez said.
She addressed British police officers as well, saying, “I need you to stop following orders because you know you are being told to look the other way while your country is being raped into submission.”
More than 100,000 people are estimated to have attended the event last year, thought to be the largest rally of its kind in British history, which Gomez posted clips from on her Instagram account.
Elon Musk also addressed the event remotely, whom British politicians condemned for his use of “dangerous and inflammatory” language. The next Unite the Kingdom rally in mid-May is expected to draw in equally large numbers.
In a related development last week, homelessness charity Centrepoint cut ties with Sharon Osbourne, wife of the late rock star Ozzy Osbourne, after she voiced support for the upcoming Unite the Kingdom rally on May 16.
Her official Instagram account left a comment on a post about the planned march, saying, “See you at the march.” A Centrepoint spokesperson said it has “no plans” to work with Ms Osbourne in the future.
Meanwhile, Gomez’s case isn’t the first example in recent weeks of the U.K. government blocking Americans from entering the country. Most recently, Kanye West, known as Ye, was stripped of his ETA for similar reasons as Gomez’s denied entry.
Gomez’s U.K. Ban Comes Only Days After Kanye West’s
The U.K. Home Office refused rapper Kanye West’s (also known as Ye) travel permission earlier in April for the same reason as Gomez’s rejection, citing his presence would “not be conducive to the public good.”
Kanye’s ETA was removed after concerns over a string of antisemitic, racist, and Nazi remarks. The rapper had been booked to play at the Wireless festival in London, but his ETA denial forced the event to be canceled. He subsequently apologized for his comments and blamed his bipolar disorder for his behavior.
Similarly, Dutch activist and commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek had her U.K. ETA revoked in January 2026. She was banned from entering the country after, like Gomez and Kanye, her presence was deemed “not conducive to the public good.” Her travel ban was issued following her criticisms of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and her support for right-wing figures.
