A controversial American anti-abortion activist, who has called for doctors who perform terminations to be executed for murder, has been blocked from entering Australia.

Troy Newman is the head of anti-abortion organisation Operation Rescue and was due to speak in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart and Cairns over the next fortnight at events run by the group Right To Life Australia.

But in a statement, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed Mr Newman's visa had been cancelled.

"Mr Newman can appeal for a revocation of this decision and no further comment will be made during this appeal period," Mr Dutton said.

In a Facebook post, Mr Newman expressed his disgust at the decision.

"The Australian Government has revoked my visa in mid-flight," he said.

Mr Newman said he "was pulled off a plane in Denver" and told he could not travel to Los Angeles and then on to Melbourne.

The "pro-life" campaigner also posted a video of an awkward exchange with airport staff in Colorado.

"Please pray for me, I'm stuck in Denver airport like a man without a country," he said.

The Operation Rescue website said Mr Newman had "booked another ticket on a different airline and will travel on to Los Angeles tonight" in the hope he can still fly to Melbourne.

In a statement, Right To Life Australia spokeswoman Mary Collier said: "We are all very upset that this has happened and are working furiously to turn it around."

But Sarah Ryan, co-vice president of pro-choice group Reproductive Choice Australia, said she was pleased with the decision.

"While Reproductive Choice Australia supports the right of freedom of expression and believes people are entitled to their own opinions, we believe there is no place in Australia for extremist views like Troy Newman's," she said.

Several Australian politicians, including Labor backbencher Terri Butler, had called for Mr Newman to be banned from entering the country.

"I am concerned that Mr Newman's presence in Australia will cause significant harm to our community," Ms Butler said in a letter to the Immigration Minister.

"I am most concerned that Mr Newman's call for abortionists to be executed could lead to threats or the commission of acts of violence against women and medical professionals."

Mr Newman is the co-author of the book Their Blood Cries Out, which was published in 2000.

In the book he questions why doctors who perform abortions are not executed and asks why women or men who request the procedure are not charged with murder.

On Sunday, it was confirmed the Australian Government had blocked US singer Chris Brown from entering the country because of his history of domestic violence.