Milo Yiannopoulos detained by ICE in Louisiana, faces deportation

British conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos has been detained by US immigration authorities in Louisiana and faces deportation after allegedly overstaying his legal status and failing to appear for an immigration hearing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested the 41-year-old former Breitbart editor at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Kenner, Louisiana, on August 27, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“Yiannopoulos legally entered the country on May 14, 2019, through New York City,” DHS said, describing him as an “illegal alien” who “chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws.”

An immigration judge issued Yiannopoulos a final order of removal on July 22 after he failed to appear for his hearing, the department said. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal.

The arrest quickly spilled into a bitter feud within the MAGA movement. Conservative activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer celebrated Yiannopoulos’ detention and claimed she had personally alerted authorities to his immigration status. The Daily Caller reported that scrutiny of his status intensified after he began criticizing President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

The episode also carries an ironic twist, as Yiannopoulos has himself repeatedly backed tough immigration enforcement, including sweeping restrictions and mass deportations.

Once one of Trump’s most flamboyant online supporters, Yiannopoulos famously referred to him as “Daddy” during the 2016 campaign. Their relationship later deteriorated sharply, with the British commentator accusing Trump of betraying supporters.

Yiannopoulos subsequently joined Kanye ‘Ye’ West as the rapper mounted an abortive 2024 presidential bid, serving as his campaign manager. He also helped arrange Ye’s controversial 2022 dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Earlier that year, he had worked as an unpaid intern for then-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Yiannopoulos has remained a favorite target of progressive activists and much of the mainstream media, which has frequently labeled him “far-right.” He has rejected such descriptions, arguing that they are used to marginalize outspoken conservative figures and turn political controversy into character assassination.

His confrontational style has repeatedly generated outrage, however. Among other issues, he drew attention years ago to Britain’s grooming-gang scandals, accusing authorities and the media of ignoring the abuse of vulnerable girls because officials feared accusations of racism or Islamophobia.

Yiannopoulos’ career suffered a major setback in 2017 after old remarks about sexual relationships involving minors resurfaced, costing him a publishing deal and forcing his resignation from Breitbart.

The White House has not publicly intervened in his immigration case.