Why Did Cierra Leave Love Island USA? She’s ‘Deeply Sorry’ for Her Racial Slur Controversy

First, there was Yulissa. Now, Cierra has been dumped from Love Island USA for using a racial slur on social media.

Why did Cierra leave Love Island USA?

Cierra Ortega, a 25-year-old from Hastings, Nebraska, was dumped from Love Island USA Season 7 in the July 6, 2025, episode, when narrator Iain Stirling announced she had “left the villa due to a personal situation.” Cierra’s exit came after fans called for her to be fired from the show after an Instagram Story of her using the racial slur “chinky” resurfaced online. “botox isn’t for everyone but I love it for me!!!” Cierra captioned an Instagram Story of her at a medical office. “I am incredible expressive with my face and I catch myself frowning for no reason throughout the day when I’m focusing on something or thinking too hard lol. I can also be a little chinky when I laugh/smile so I love getting a mini brow lift to open up my eyes and get that snatched look.”

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She concluded her post, “this is not me encouraging but moreso sharing <3.” The Instagram Story, which was previously included on Cierra’s Instagram highlights, has since been removed. Cierra also used the word “chinky” in another Instagram post. Her Instagram comments have also been disabled by her friend, MJ Hedderman, who ran her account while Cierra was in the villa.

“Chinky” is an ethnic slur often used to describe eyes with epicanthic folds, particularly common among people of East Asian descent. The term, which is considered highly offensive and regarded as racist by many, is believed to originate from the word “China.”

After Cierra’s post resurfaced online, fans called for Love Island USA to remove her from the villa like they did with Yulissa Escobar, a 27-year-old from Miami, Florida, who was dumped from the show after a podcast clip of her saying the N-word went viral. You fuck my n—? Perfect. But now I’m fucking my n—. He’s my n—,” Yulissa said on the podcast, which has been reposted on TikTok.

The video resurfaced at the same time that fans reposted another video of Yulissa confirming she voted for President Donald Trump. “I’m here looking at my followers and I lost about 600 followers just because I’m a Trump supporter. Everyone is entitled to their own fucking opinion,” Yulissa said in the video. Fans also reposted a photo she shared of her in a “Make America Great Again” hat.

Narrator Iain Stirling announced Yulissa had left Love Island USA 18 minutes in Season 7, Episode 2. “Welcome back to Love Island USA. Yulissa has left the villa,” Stirling said. At the time of her exit, Yulissa was coupled up with Ace Greene, a 22-year-old from Los Angeles, California.

After her exit, Yulissa shared an Instagram post, apologizing for the clip. “First, I want to apologize for using a word I had no right in using. Podcast clips from years ago have recently resurfaced, and I want to address it directly. In those clips, I used a word I never should’ve used, a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn’t excuse impact,” she wrote. “And the impact of that word is real. It’s tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use. At the time, I was speaking casually in conversation, not thinking deeply or critically about what I was saying. But that doesn’t take away from how wrong it was. The truth is, I didn’t know better then, but I do now. I’ve taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to grow from that moment.”

She continued, “I’ve changed a lot since then, not just in how I speak, but in how I show up, how I carry myself, and how I honor the experiences of others. Growth means recognizing when you were wrong, even if it’s uncomfortable, and choosing to move forward with humility and accountability. There have also been fake statements circulating, things written or said by others that don’t reflect me or my heart. I want to clarify that this is my voice and my words. I don’t need anyone to speak for me. I’m choosing to speak for myself because I take full ownership of my actions. Do not listen to the fake statements. This is my official statement. This is me, speaking directly to you. To those who are disappointed or offended, I understand and I apologize. I am sorry.”

Given what happened to Yulissa, fans also called Love Island USA to also boot Cierra from the show. “Cierra better be going home the same way Yulissa did,” a TikTok user wrote. Another user wrote, “Love island producers better be packing Cierra’s bags in the middle of the night and remove her from the island.”

Unlike Yulissa, who had only filmed two days on Love Island USA, Cierra, who joined as a bombshell on Day 2, had been a part of Season 7 since the start and was much more integrated into the show. She’s had been coupled up with her partner Nicolas “Nic” Vansteenberghe, a 24-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, since the first week, and the two became the first couple to close things off in the same week her racial slur post resurfaced.

Along with her racial slur post, fans have also criticized Cierra and accused her—as well as her Season 7 co-stars Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe and Olandria Carthen—of being “mean girls” to fellow castmate Huda Mustafa during the show’s “Stand on Business” challenge. After the challenge aired, Cierra, Chelley, and Olandria lost thousands followers on Instagram and TikTok, according to screenshots from fans. Cierra’s friends also announced they were no longer supporting her after her racial slur controversy

“I’m sure many of you have noticed I have refrained from talking about Love Island and have stopped publicly supporting my friend on the show. This was after I saw the post involving a racial slur for the first time,” wrote Johnnie Olivia, Cierra’s friend and a former cast member on Love Island USA Season 5.

“I loved supporting her during the time on the show, but once I came across that post, I felt it was necessary to take a step back. I do not support or condone that kind of language, never have, never will,” she continued.. “Racism in any form is unacceptable, and to be clear, unless you are Asian, you do not get to decide whether or not that word is offensive. Anyone who isn’t Asian should not be speaking about the seriousness or impact of that word.”

MJ Hedderman, who ran Cierra’s social media accounts since she entered the villa, also announced that she would no longer be posting on her behalf. “Hi guys, I see your comments concerning someone I love and care about,” she wrote. “I want to be clear that I do not condone racism, bigotry, or hate in any way shape or form nor was I aware of the recent screenshots until they were posted.”

“I discovered it at the same time as all of you did. I cannot speak for anybody or make any statements besides my own, and decided to take a step back from running her account. I was asked by her family to turn off comments and refrain from speaking on her behalf. This situation has been really difficult and I’m still processing everything,” she continued.

On July 9, 2025, Cierra took to her social accounts to make an apology. “I want to first start by addressing, not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community,” she began. “I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry. I had no idea that the word held as much pain as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it. But that’s absolutely no excuse, because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance.”

“I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur,” she said noting that a follower pointed out the “incredibly hurtful” language in 2024.

“In that moment, I was embarrassed,” she said. “I, of course, immediately deleted the post. I was apologetic, and I educated not only myself on the true meaning and history of the word, but also anyone around me who was accidentally holding space for this slur.”

“In that moment, I was embarrassed,” she said. “I, of course, immediately deleted the post. I was apologetic, and I educated not only myself on the true meaning and history of the word, but also anyone around me who was accidentally holding space for this slur.”

“The backlash has obviously been very hard to deal with,” Cierra noted, saying she does “understand where the hate is coming from.” She added that she is trying to “drown out the noise,” but she has received death threats.

 “extremely, extremely difficult” to watch how “people are approaching [her] family and [her] loved ones.” Noting that her family had Immigration and Customs Enforcement called on them, and they don’t “feel safe in their own home.”

“If you want to know that you are heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you that’s what will happen. I know that no apology could ever be enough for the harm that I’ve caused and the offense that’s taken place,” she continued, before concluding, “I know that moving forward, my actions and how I decide to live my life from here on out, is going to speak louder than any apology ever could. But I do need it to be known that I am sorry, and I did mean no harm.”

She also liked a post made by Nic’s loved one about them supporting his coupling with Olandria.

Love Island USA streams on Peacock.