'Love Island USA' Contestant Cierra Ortega Apologizes for Racial Slur After Exit

Cierra Ortega is owning the racial slur that got her booted from "Love Island USA" -- and says she agrees with production's decision to cut her from the show.

In a lengthy video and written statement she shared on Instagram Wednesday evening, Cierra says she's been back home for 48 hours and is ready to address herself "very naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term."

First and foremost, she apologizes to the Asian community and everyone she offended, adding ..."I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did or I never would have used it."

While she says she had "no ill intention" when using the term, she concedes there is "absolutely no excuse because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance."

Rather than profusely apologizing, Cierra says she'd rather take accountability for her actions ... and even shows receipts of a previous discussion with a follower who called her out for using the term in question.

She says she was "embarrassed" by her ignorance and immediately deleted the post, adding ... "The word was immediately removed from my vocabulary."

Reflecting on the 2024 education about the word, she notes ... "It was a true learning moment for me I think since that moment, I’ve done so much growing as an individual, and I’ve tried my best to educate others who might be accidentally holding space for these types of words that could be offensive in their vocabulary."

Although she says she's put in the work to grow, the marketing professional confirms she is in full support of Peacock's decision to pull her from the show. She reasons ..."I think that this is something that deserved punishment, and the punishment has absolutely been received, for sure."

She admits it's been "extremely, extremely difficult" to watch people lash out on her family for her actions -- including calling ICE on them.

Speaking directly to those who are irate she'd use such a term, Cierra adds ... "If you want to know that you are heard and that I'm sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you that's what will happen."

The Arizona native shared her statement 2 days after arriving back home from the villa in Fiji ... but by then, her family had already spoken out about the "cruel" hate they were receiving and begged the public to give their daughter grace.

Cierra's exit from "Love Island USA" Season 7 was announced during the July 6 episode and labeled as a "personal situation."