Cierra Ortega left the Love Island USA villa due to a controversy surrounding resurfaced social media posts in which she allegedly used racial slurs offensive to the Asian community. The show announced her departure as due to a "personal situation," but it was widely understood that the producers removed her following public backlash and calls for her removal after these posts were discovered. Her sudden exit left her then-partner Nic Vansteenberghe officially single and shocked both fans and contestants. After leaving, Cierra addressed the issue on social media, expressing remorse and acknowledging the need for accountability while also highlighting the challenges and threats she and her family faced following the controversy. Her parents also issued a public statement asking for compassion amid the intense backlash against their daughter.
