British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump for years, says he now regrets backing the politician after experiencing what he described as a traumatic arrest and deportation by U.S. immigration authorities last week.
In his first interview since the incident, the 41-year-old told broadcaster Piers Morgan that his detention was "humiliating, confusing, physically painful and frightening." He said the experience taught him what it feels like to be "genuinely, genuinely terrified" for the first time, adding that he "wouldn't wish it on anyone."
He recounted being confronted by approximately 15 agents at a Louisiana airport, where he was shackled at his hands and feet. He said he went without food for roughly 24 hours and was transferred repeatedly between detention facilities. "I cried like an old woman for an hour," he told Morgan.
The commentator, who had been among Trump's most prominent supporters and previously called for the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants, said the experience opened his eyes to systemic cruelty. "I didn't understand how institutionalized the cruelty is in America. They treat everyone who gets arrested as if they're a member of MS-13," he said, referring to the violent transnational gang.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Yiannopoulos entered the United States legally in 2019 but overstayed his authorized period. A deportation order was later issued after he failed to appear at a hearing on his case. Yiannopoulos disputes this account, claiming he held a green card that he renewed every two years.
Reflecting on his past political activism, Yiannopoulos said: "If I had any idea that something like this was even possible, I would never have been involved in supporting Trump in the first place, and I'm very ashamed that I did."
