Milo Yiannopoulos, the British far-right commentator recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana and subsequently deported to the UK, has spoken out about his harrowing experience, describing it as a moment of profound fear. “For the first time, I know what it feels like to be really, really terrified,” he stated.
During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, a YouTube program hosted by British media figure Piers Morgan, the 41-year-old Yiannopoulos recounted his time in the U.S. as “humiliating,” “disorienting,” “physically degrading,” and “frightening.”
Yiannopoulos expressed regret over his past endorsement of Donald Trump, acknowledging the former president’s hardline stance on immigration and mass deportation during his second term. “I didn’t fully grasp the extent of the institutional brutality in America,” he remarked, adding, “It’s as if everyone arrested is presumed to be an MS-13 gang member, and the reality is much harsher than what is depicted on television.”
His comments followed his deportation after being taken into custody by ICE at the New Orleans airport on Thursday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, stated that Yiannopoulos had entered the U.S. legally in May 2019 but had overstayed his visa, thus violating immigration laws.
A former editor at Breitbart News and an initial supporter of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, Yiannopoulos later assisted rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, in exploring a potential presidential bid for 2024. The DHS indicated that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal to Yiannopoulos on July 22 after he failed to attend his immigration hearing.
During the interview with Morgan, Yiannopoulos contested the government’s version of events, asserting that he did not overstay a visa and claiming that he is married to an American citizen and was in the process of renewing a green card.
The Guardian has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and the White House for a response to Yiannopoulos’s statements.
While in detention, Yiannopoulos expressed frustration, stating, “No one would tell me anything,” a sentiment commonly voiced by those in ICE custody. Reflecting on his experience, he told Morgan, “I don’t think I’ve ever been frightened like that before. I may have previously dismissed the trauma others described, but I understand now… I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
Previously, Yiannopoulos had openly supported Trump’s immigration policies on social media. He once asserted, “There is one concrete thing we must insist on this administration delivering. It matters a lot more than debts measured in imaginary money. We have got to deport millions and millions and millions of people. Without that, nothing else matters.” In another post, he suggested California should implement ICE checkpoints at various public locations, advocating for immediate deportation of individuals unable to prove their legal status in the U.S.
Reflecting on his earlier support for Trump, Yiannopoulos stated, “If I had any idea that something like this could happen, I would never have supported Trump in the first place, and I’m very ashamed that I did.”
