diff --git src/bp-members/bp-members-functions.php src/bp-members/bp-members-functions.php
index 58fd1777e..7cdcb7ec9 100644
--- src/bp-members/bp-members-functions.php
+++ src/bp-members/bp-members-functions.php
@@ -609,6 +609,42 @@ function bp_core_get_active_member_count() {
 	return apply_filters( 'bp_core_get_active_member_count', $count );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Update the spam status of the member on multisite configs.
+ *
+ * @since 5.0.0
+ *
+ * @param int   $user_id The user ID to spam or ham.
+ * @param int   $value   0 to mark the user as `ham`, 1 to mark as `spam`.
+ * @return bool          True if the spam status of the member changed.
+ *                       False otherwise.
+ */
+function bp_core_update_member_status( $user_id = 0, $value = 0 ) {
+	if ( ! is_multisite() || ! $user_id ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * The `update_user_status()` function is deprecated since WordPress 5.3.0.
+	 * Continue to use it if WordPress current major version is lower than 5.3.
+	 */
+	if ( bp_get_major_wp_version() < 5.3 ) {
+		return update_user_status( $user_id, 'spam', $value );
+	}
+
+	// Otherwise use the replacement function.
+	$user = wp_update_user( array(
+		'ID'   => $user_id,
+		'spam' => $value,
+	) );
+
+	if ( is_wp_error( $user ) ) {
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 /**
  * Process a spammed or unspammed user.
  *
@@ -671,9 +707,7 @@ function bp_core_process_spammer_status( $user_id, $status, $do_wp_cleanup = tru
 		}
 
 		// Finally, mark this user as a spammer.
-		if ( is_multisite() ) {
-			update_user_status( $user_id, 'spam', $is_spam );
-		}
+		bp_core_update_member_status( $user_id, $is_spam );
 	}
 
 	// Update the user status.
diff --git tests/phpunit/testcases/blogs/functions.php tests/phpunit/testcases/blogs/functions.php
index 4cd38a897..92804a647 100644
--- tests/phpunit/testcases/blogs/functions.php
+++ tests/phpunit/testcases/blogs/functions.php
@@ -291,10 +291,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Blogs_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'wpmu_new_blog' );
 		}
 
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		// Create a regular member
 		$u = self::factory()->user->create();
 
diff --git tests/phpunit/testcases/core/class-bp-user-query.php tests/phpunit/testcases/core/class-bp-user-query.php
index d589f5a53..c03ad3076 100644
--- tests/phpunit/testcases/core/class-bp-user-query.php
+++ tests/phpunit/testcases/core/class-bp-user-query.php
@@ -389,10 +389,6 @@ class BP_Tests_BP_User_Query_TestCases extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	 * @group spam
 	 */
 	public function test_bp_user_query_type_alphabetical_spam_xprofileoff() {
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();
 		$u2 = self::factory()->user->create();
 
diff --git tests/phpunit/testcases/members/functions.php tests/phpunit/testcases/members/functions.php
index cd261ae24..e2492116c 100644
--- tests/phpunit/testcases/members/functions.php
+++ tests/phpunit/testcases/members/functions.php
@@ -378,10 +378,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 			$this->markTestSkipped();
 		}
 
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		$bp = buddypress();
 		$displayed_user = $bp->displayed_user;
 
@@ -389,7 +385,7 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 		$bp->displayed_user->id = $u1;
 
 		// Bulk spam in network admin uses update_user_status
-		update_user_status( $u1, 'spam', '1' );
+		bp_core_update_member_status( $u1, '1' );
 
 		$this->assertTrue( bp_is_user_spammer( $u1 ) );
 
@@ -410,10 +406,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 			$this->markTestSkipped();
 		}
 
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		$bp = buddypress();
 		$displayed_user = $bp->displayed_user;
 
@@ -426,7 +418,7 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 		$this->assertTrue( bp_is_user_spammer( $u1 ) );
 
 		// Bulk unspam in network admin uses update_user_status
-		update_user_status( $u1, 'spam', '0' );
+		bp_core_update_member_status( $u1, '0' );
 
 		$this->assertFalse( bp_is_user_spammer( $u1 ) );
 
@@ -438,10 +430,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	 * @group bp_core_process_spammer_status
 	 */
 	public function test_bp_core_process_spammer_status_make_spam_user_filter() {
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		add_filter( 'make_spam_user', array( $this, 'notification_filter_callback' ) );
 
 		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();
@@ -454,14 +442,12 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	public function test_bp_core_process_spammer_status_make_ham_user_filter() {
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
+		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();
+		$s  = bp_core_process_spammer_status( $u1, 'spam' );
 
 		add_filter( 'make_ham_user', array( $this, 'notification_filter_callback' ) );
 
-		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();
-		$n = bp_core_process_spammer_status( $u1, 'ham' );
+		$h = bp_core_process_spammer_status( $u1, 'ham' );
 
 		remove_filter( 'make_ham_user', array( $this, 'notification_filter_callback' ) );
 
@@ -470,10 +456,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	public function test_bp_core_process_spammer_status_bp_make_spam_user_filter() {
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		add_filter( 'bp_make_spam_user', array( $this, 'notification_filter_callback' ) );
 
 		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();
@@ -486,10 +468,6 @@ class BP_Tests_Members_Functions extends BP_UnitTestCase {
 	}
 
 	public function test_bp_core_process_spammer_status_bp_make_ham_user_filter() {
-		if ( is_multisite() && function_exists( 'wp_get_registered_image_subsizes' ) ) {
-			$this->setExpectedDeprecated( 'update_user_status' );
-		}
-
 		add_filter( 'bp_make_ham_user', array( $this, 'notification_filter_callback' ) );
 
 		$u1 = self::factory()->user->create();