LOVE Island USA star Yulissa Escobar has broken her silence after being axed from the villa over resurfaced clips of her using racist slurs.
The 27-year-old was quietly removed off-camera in just the second episode of the season, before any of her fellow Islanders had even woken up.
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It comes after old podcast clips emerged on Reddit, showing Yulissa using the N-word while talking about her ex-boyfriends.
Furious fans flooded her Instagram, vowing to get her booted off the show.
Now, she’s taken to Instagram to issue a lengthy apology, posting under the caption: “Owning my mistakes, speaking my truth.”
She wrote: “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. 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.
“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.”
Narrator Iain Stirling broke the news during the latest episode, announcing: “Yulissa has left the villa.”
Yulissa had been coupled up with Ace Greene, who is now left single following her swift departure.
Fans didn’t hold back online. One furious Reddit user asked: “How [the f***] did producers let this slide? They for SURE saw this.”
Another wrote: “Yeah, if people on this sub can find this in a few days, casting should have DEFINITELY found this. So either they’re not looking into people enough or they’re choosing to let this stuff slide. Not sure which is worse.”
The backlash didn’t stop there. Over on Instagram, one user cheered: “WE WON SHES GONE!” while another added: “‘yulissa has left the villa’ LMFAOOOO.”
“Love Island stood on business and I love that,” said another.
Just a day before she was dumped from the show, Yulissa had been hyping up her time in the villa on social media.
In one post, she declared: “It’s my unapologetic year! And I’m choosing me, every time. Loud, soft, sweet, savage—whatever I feel like being.”
In others, she encouraged fans to vote for her, saying: “Say hello to your newest official islander on Love Island USA Season 7. Straight from Miami and headed to the villa! She’s all about kindness, connection, and staying true to who she is.”
One user joked: “Can she see these comments?? Or not yet cause she in the island? Honestly IDC but how hilarious when she comes out thinking she got all these fans but she’s getting cancelled.”
Yulissa’s exit leaves Chelley Bissainthe, Huda Mustafa, Belle-A Walker, and Olandria Carthen as the remaining girls in the villa.
Among the lads still in the game are Ace Greene, Taylor Williams, Nicolas Vansteenberghe and Jeremiah Brown.
Two bombshells – Cierra Ortega and Charlie Georgiou – have also entered the fray, hoping to shake things up.
According to the show’s tagline: “Islanders will couple up to face brand new heart-racing challenges and bigger twists and turns than ever before.” The winning couple will walk away with a $100,000 prize.
Love Island USA, a spinoff of the UK hit, sees singles shack up in a luxury villa for weeks on end, forming romantic connections while viewers vote to decide their fate.
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