U.S. immigration officials arrested British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos on Thursday in New Orleans, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Yiannopoulos was taken into custody at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for allegedly overstaying his visa after entering the United States legally in May 2019 through New York City. An immigration judge issued a final order of removal on July 22 after Yiannopoulos did not attend his immigration hearing, a DHS spokesperson stated in an email.
A DHS spokesperson said, "He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation's laws." The online detainee locator for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not specify where Yiannopoulos is being held but directs family and legal representatives to the agency's office in Alexandria, Louisiana, which serves as a deportation hub for international flights.
Representatives for Yiannopoulos did not respond to a request for comment, and it is unclear if he has legal representation. Yiannopoulos has recently worked with rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday evening.
Yiannopoulos is known for his conservative views and has made public statements criticizing feminism, Islam, and immigration. He has expressed strong support for President Donald Trump's immigration policies, stating on the social platform X last year, "Zero immigration for the next 20 years. No ifs, no buts."
He gained prominence in the early 2010s as a writer for Breitbart News but resigned in 2017 after a video surfaced in which he appeared to endorse pedophilia. He later apologized, claiming to be a victim of sexual assault as a minor.
Yiannopoulos' arrest coincides with a nationwide increase in detentions related to Trump's immigration policies. Far-right activist Laura Loomer publicly praised Yiannopoulos' arrest on social media, referencing their past conflicts.
Controversy surrounding Yiannopoulos escalated in 2017 during his "Troll Academy Tour" at various colleges, where protests erupted over accusations of hate speech. He has also been linked to self-proclaimed white nationalists, according to reports from Buzzfeed.
In recent years, Yiannopoulos has continued to engage in conservative activism, including an internship with former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and a brief presidential campaign for Ye. He has served as a spokesperson for Ye, who has faced his own controversies, including antisemitic remarks for which he has apologized.