One of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, Xunami Muse, has announced that she has left the United States following President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration clampdown.
The Panamanian-born drag performer, who finished ninth in Season 16 of the hit reality show, revealed on Instagram that her “situation in the United States was a difficult and complicated one,” adding that she has now relocated back to her home country, Daily Mail reported.
“From now on, I will be living in my beautiful land of Panama,” she wrote. “You heard that right, I left the States! And the reason is simple: to be able to explore the world!”
During her time on Drag Race, Xunami had shared her experience living in the U.S. under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — a program designed to protect undocumented immigrants who arrived as children from deportation.
“We’re not citizens,” she explained on the show. “We’re kind of in limbo. We’re legally here because we were already here, but we don’t have the full rights of a citizen.”
After her post, fans expressed concern, with one writing, “DACA queens are self-deporting now. I hate how this country treats immigrants. She deserved better.”
Responding to a fan who asked if she could return to the U.S., Xunami admitted she wasn’t sure:
“I really don’t know.”
While she didn’t directly mention the Trump administration in her post, her announcement came just as immigration policies for DACA recipients face tightening restrictions. Federal agencies have begun revoking benefits and detaining some Dreamers despite their protected status.
Meanwhile, Xunami says she’s moving forward with her international career. She’s set to join other Drag Race alums for a European tour and will perform in Australia later this year — marking her first global run since leaving the U.S.
Recently, actress Julianne Moore revealed plans to permanently move to the UK, while singer Courtney Love announced she’s seeking British citizenship, citing Trump’s political climate as “frightening.”