Right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, a British national, has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after being apprehended at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Thursday. ICE records indicate Yiannopoulos legally entered the U.S. in May 2019 but remained in the country after his authorized stay expired. He was issued a final order of removal on July 22 after failing to appear for an immigration hearing.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated Yiannopoulos is being held pending deportation. Yiannopoulos previously served as West’s chief of staff during his 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns and worked at his clothing brand, Yeezy.
Yiannopoulos has a history of controversial statements regarding transgender people, Muslims, Black Lives Matter, feminists, and gay people, and has been associated with the alt-right, though he denies being part of the movement. He previously worked as an editor at Breitbart News, resigning in 2017 following backlash over comments about sexual abuse. He has also publicly supported strong immigration enforcement, advocating for legal immunity for ICE agents and increased deportations.
Reports indicate Yiannopoulos had been living in the U.S. and may have entered on an O-1 visa for individuals with extraordinary abilities. DHS stated that “being in detention is a choice” and encouraged individuals in similar situations to utilize the CBP Home App for self-deportation. The circumstances surrounding his detention remain largely unclear, and it is unknown if his presence in Louisiana was related to West’s concert.
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