Canadian Adult Film Star Claims Border Agents Questioned Sexuality Before US Ban
Milo Miles, a gay Canadian adult film model, has alleged that US Customs and Border Protection agents subjected him to invasive questioning about his sexuality before banning him from entering the United States for ten years. The incident occurred in January at Toronto Pearson International Airport, where Miles was attempting to travel to Las Vegas to present at the GayVN Awards, a prominent event in the gay adult entertainment industry.
According to Miles, the interrogation focused extensively on his personal life, with agents making derogatory comments and expressing confusion over his possession of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medication and what they described as "gay clothes." He stated, "I was subjected to derogatory comments, with an unsettling focus on my sexual orientation and my sex life," calling the experience "the most painful event of my life."
Extended Interrogation and Confession Under Pressure
Miles reported being stopped twice at the airport. Initially, he was interrogated for two hours, missing his flight, and sent home without findings. Upon returning the next day, he was flagged again and questioned for six hours without food. During this time, agents searched his electronic devices, discovering his adult film work and messages with potential escorting clients in Las Vegas.
Although Miles admitted to providing "boyfriend experience" escort services, he emphasized that no evidence was found of exchanging money for sexual acts, and he had no clients scheduled for his trip. Despite this, he claims he was pressured into confessing to prostitution and unauthorized employment under the officers' definitions, leading to his ban under US immigration laws that prohibit entry for involvement in "prostitution and commercialized vice" and "crimes involving moral turpitude."
Facial Recognition Software Targeting Sex Workers
Miles believes his case is part of a broader pattern where sex workers are identified at borders through facial recognition technology. A 2023 Daily Beast investigation detailed multiple instances of sex workers being stopped after software matched them to online adult content databases. For example, a sex worker known as 'Sydney' was banned in 2024 when facial recognition at Boston Logan Airport linked her to Canadian sex worker profiles, despite leaving her phone at home to avoid detection.
Law professor Pooja R Dadhania commented that such laws are "grounded in turn-of-the-twentieth-century morality... [singling] out female sellers of sex as immoral and as threats to American marriages and families." As online sex work expands, the use of facial recognition at borders has reportedly increased, raising concerns about privacy and discrimination.
Impact and Warnings to Travelers
The ban severely impacts Miles' career and personal life, separating him from his partner in Florida and limiting work opportunities. He expressed relief that the incident occurred in Toronto rather than on US soil, where he fears he could have faced detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Miles issued a stark warning to queer travelers: "Avoid the United States at all costs. It's not worth it. It's not worth it to put your life at risk." His case underscores ongoing debates over border security practices, LGBTQ+ rights, and the ethical use of surveillance technology in immigration enforcement.
