Yiannopoulos was arrested Aug. 27 at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Kenner, Louisiana, federal officials said. DHS said he entered the United States through New York on May 14, 2019, and that an immigration judge issued a final order of removal July 22 after he failed to attend his immigration hearing. He remains in ICE custody pending removal, while the agency's detainee information directs family members and legal representatives to its office in Alexandria, Louisiana, which handles deportation operations.

Yiannopoulos rose to prominence during the 2010s as a writer and editor associated with Breitbart News and became a prominent figure in the U.S. far right. He later worked with rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, including during Ye's unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign, and had a brief political role with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Yiannopoulos has also been a vocal supporter of aggressive immigration enforcement, including mass deportations and expanded use of ICE. His detention comes after he became increasingly critical of President Donald Trump and parts of the movement he once supported.