RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 alum Xunami Muse has announced her departure from the United States, citing the complexities of her immigration status and a desire to explore life beyond U.S. borders.
In a post shared to Instagram on Wednesday, 16 July, Xunami revealed she has relocated to Panama, writing: “I’ve made a decision to be able to explore the WORLD [sic] and to take a step back from a difficult and complicated situation.”
While she didn’t explicitly reference U.S. immigration policy in her statement, her past commentary and current context suggest deeper implications.
“We’re Kind of in Limbo”
During her run on Drag Race in 2024, Xunami opened up about being a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) — a U.S. policy introduced by President Barack Obama in 2012 that protects undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children, known as “Dreamers.”
DACA grants recipients a Social Security number and work authorisation, but stops short of offering full citizenship.
“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.”
Since 2017, the policy has faced legal challenges. The Trump administration attempted to dismantle it, and while President Joe Biden issued an executive order to reinstate it in 2021, a federal judge later ruled the program was “illegally implemented.” However, current DACA recipients are still protected, and renewals continue to be allowed.
From “Dreamer” to Drag Star on the Move
While not directly addressing the Biden administration’s ramped-up immigration enforcement or recent ICE crackdowns, Xunami’s move abroad has drawn attention online. One social media user described it as a form of “self-deportation.”
“DACA queens are self-deporting now,” wrote X user @CTprogressive_. “I hate how this country treats immigrants. She deserved better.”
Xunami will next join fellow Drag Race favourites Aja, Kandy Muse, and Dahlia Sin on a 10-city European tour in August, followed by an Australian tour in November.
To legally travel outside the United States, DACA recipients must obtain special permission known as Advance Parole — a limited mechanism that allows them to leave and return without jeopardising their status.
Her departure highlights the ongoing uncertainty faced by undocumented immigrants in the U.S., particularly those in the public eye.
