Right-wing commentator and early Gamergate figure Milo Yiannopoulos has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana and is facing deportation.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the arrest, referring to Yiannopoulos as an "illegal alien" who had violated immigration laws. He was taken into custody on August 27 at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
According to officials, Yiannopoulos entered the U.S. legally on May 14, 2019, but overstayed his welcome. An immigration judge issued a final order of removal on July 22 after Yiannopoulos failed to appear for his immigration hearing. He remains in ICE custody pending his deportation.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that detention is a choice and encouraged "illegal aliens" to use the CBP Home App to arrange for self-deportation, citing an offer of $3,000 and a free flight for those choosing to leave voluntarily. The department emphasized that individuals remaining illegally would be arrested and deported without the opportunity to return.
Yiannopoulos was reportedly in Louisiana for an upcoming concert by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, with whom he has been publicly associated during the musician's controversial statements on antisemitism and Nazism. Yiannopoulos himself has previously advocated for stricter immigration enforcement, reportedly calling for ICE checkpoints and on-the-spot deportation for individuals unable to prove legal status in the U.S.
In 2014, Yiannopoulos was a prominent figure in the early stages of the Gamergate harassment campaign, popularizing its hashtag and rhetoric against feminism during his tenure at Breitbart. Steve Bannon, Yiannopoulos's then-editor at Breitbart and later a key advisor to Donald Trump, described Yiannopoulos as instrumental in mobilizing young reactionaries online, suggesting he could activate a base that eventually engaged with politics and Trump's presidential campaign.