Khaby Lame, the world’s most popular TikTok creator with over 160 million followers, has left the United States after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for overstaying his visa.
The 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian influencer, whose legal name is Seringe Khabane Lame, was detained Friday at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas but was allowed to leave the country without a formal deportation order, according to an ICE spokesperson.
Lame had entered the United States on April 30 and subsequently overstayed the terms of his visa. ICE confirmed that Lame was granted a voluntary departure order on June 6 and has since left the country. Voluntary departure orders are discretionary measures that allow individuals to leave the country on their own rather than face formal deportation proceedings.
The incident has drawn significant attention given Lame’s massive global following and the current political climate surrounding immigration enforcement. The detention comes amid the Trump administration’s escalating crackdown on immigration, which has sparked protests against ICE.
Lame, known for his wordless reaction videos that humorously simplify overly complicated life hacks, has maintained his silence on the matter. The content creator has not issued any public statements regarding his detention or departure from the United States.
However, the social media star did subtly reveal his whereabouts in a post to his Instagram story, which boasts over 80 million followers. The brief post, shared Wednesday, was simply captioned “São Paulo, Brazil,” indicating his new location following his departure from the U.S.
The incident highlights the complex visa requirements that international content creators and influencers must navigate when traveling to the United States for business or promotional activities. Despite his global celebrity status and massive online following, Lame was subject to the same immigration enforcement as any other visitor who overstays their permitted time in the country.
Lame’s rise to fame began during the COVID-19 pandemic when his simple, straightforward response videos to unnecessarily complicated social media content struck a chord with audiences worldwide. His signature gesture of throwing his hands up in exasperation became instantly recognizable across social media platforms.
ICE officials have not provided additional details about the specific type of visa Lame was traveling on or the circumstances that led to the overstay. The agency’s statement emphasized that the matter was resolved through voluntary departure rather than formal removal proceedings.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikToker with 160+ million followers, was detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Las Vegas on June 6 for overstaying his visa after entering the country on April 30.
