Khaby Lame, the most-followed personality on TikTok with over 162 million followers, has recently made headlines — not for his iconic silent reactions, but for a run-in with US immigration authorities.
Detained in Las Vegas for Visa Violation
According to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the 25-year-old Italian citizen was detained last Friday at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The reason? Overstaying his visa.
An ICE statement released Monday said, “Khaby Lame entered the United States on April 30 and stayed beyond the terms of his visa. Khaby Lame was taken into custody on June 6 but was released the same day under a condition of ‘voluntary departure’.”
Deported to Italy
Following his release, Khaby was deported back to Italy, as reported by several US media outlets. As of Tuesday morning, Khaby had not made any public comment about the incident.
Claims from Social Media Influencer
Bo Loudon, a known associate of Barron Trump and a fellow social media influencer, posted on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that Lame was held at the Henderson Detention Center in Las Vegas.
A Star Born During the Pandemic
Born in Senegal, Khaby later became an Italian citizen. He rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming popular for his silent, sarcastic reaction videos mocking overly complicated internet tutorials. His unique content earned him global recognition and even the role of UNICEF goodwill ambassador.