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\t\t<\/p>\n Cierra Ortega<\/strong><\/a>\u2018s family is speaking out amid her racism controversy.<\/p>\n During the Sunday (July 6) episode of Love Island USA<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, it was announced that Cierra<\/strong> has \u201cleft the villa due to a personal situation.\u201d<\/a> Cierra<\/strong>\u2018s exit comes after a racist post from her social media resurfaced online and fans called for her firing.<\/p>\n After the episode aired, Cierra<\/strong>\u2018s family released a statement on her Instagram<\/a> account addressing the situation.<\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span>\u201cAs Cierra\u2019s parents, this has been one of the most painful weeks of our lives,\u201d the statement began. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate. And while Cierra hasn\u2019t seen any of it, we have. And so have people who love her.\u201d<\/p>\n They continued, \u201cWe\u2019re not here to justify or ignore what\u2019s surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what\u2019s happening online right now has gone far beyond that. The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it\u2019s heartbreaking. It\u2019s uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they\u2019ve made.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhile Cierra is not in the villa anymore, she is still away,\u201d Cierra<\/strong>\u2018s family wrote. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t had the chance to process any of this or speak for herself. But we know our daughter. We know her heart. And when she returns, we believe she\u2019ll face this with honesty, growth, and grace. While she\u2019ll always be our little girl, she\u2019s also a woman, one who will take responsibility in her own time and her own voice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUntil then, we\u2019re simply asking for compassion. For patience. For basic human decency. Not just for her, but for everyone caught in the middle of this,\u201d the statement concluded. \u201cThank you to those who\u2019ve continued to show love, even when it\u2019s not easy. With love, Her Family.\u201d<\/p>\n Cierra<\/strong>\u2018s Instagram has since been deactivated.<\/p>\n Earlier this season, another contestant was removed from the show after their past racist remarks also resurfaced<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n