British national faces deportation after allegedly overstaying his visa and missing an immigration hearing
NEW ORLEANS (Midtown Times) — Milo Yiannopoulos, the controversial far-right commentator and former Breitbart editor, was detained Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, federal officials said.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said Yiannopoulos, a British citizen, entered the United States legally through New York City on May 14, 2019, but remained in the country after his visa expired.
According to DHS, Yiannopoulos failed to appear for an immigration hearing scheduled for July 22. An immigration judge subsequently issued a final removal order against him. He is expected to remain in ICE custody while awaiting deportation. His detention was also confirmed through federal immigration records, according to CBS News.
Yiannopoulos, 41, gained national attention through inflammatory online commentary and his work as an editor at Breitbart News. He has described himself as an internet troll and built a public following by promoting provocative right-wing political views.
He resigned from Breitbart in 2017 following widespread criticism over past comments concerning teenagers and sexual abuse. Yiannopoulos disputed accusations that he supported abuse but acknowledged that he had used imprecise language.
In recent years, he became associated with rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye. Yiannopoulos worked on Ye’s political operation and later served as his chief of staff. He also held a position with the rapper’s Yeezy clothing company before resigning in 2024 after Ye announced plans to establish an adult-entertainment division under the brand.
Ye is scheduled to perform Friday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It was not immediately clear whether Yiannopoulos traveled to Louisiana to attend the concert.
DHS used the arrest to reinforce the Trump administration’s broader immigration-enforcement campaign, saying authorities intend to prevent people without legal status from traveling domestically unless they are leaving the United States.
Yiannopoulos’ detention was first reported by TMZ. People also reported that he faces removal from the country.
