Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok star, has left the United States after being detained by immigration officials in Las Vegas last Friday. Authorities said he had overstayed his visa.
While officials didn’t confirm the exact date of his departure, they said Lame left voluntarily. The influencer has yet to publicly comment, leaving fans uncertain about when he left or where he went.
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Lame is one of hundreds impacted by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which has involved widespread ICE raids, increased deportations, and sparked nationwide protests.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Lame arrived in the U.S. on April 30 and remained after his visa expired. He was detained and then released the same day, officials said.
By choosing voluntary departure, Lame avoided a deportation order, which would have barred him from returning to the U.S. for up to ten years. Voluntary departure allows individuals facing removal to leave the country without facing long-term penalties on their immigration record.
The 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian influencer, known for his silent reaction videos and expressive facial gestures, rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic. He now has more than 162 million followers on TikTok.
“It’s my face and my expressions which make people laugh,”
— Khaby Lame, speaking to The New York Times in 2021
“My reactions speak a global language.”
As an Italian citizen, Lame can enter the U.S. without a visa for tourism or business for up to 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program. He appeared at the Met Gala in May, but it remains unclear what else he was doing in the U.S.
Lame’s situation has drawn wide attention as he becomes one of the highest-profile figures to be deported under Trump’s intensified immigration push.
As of early June, ICE reported 51,000 undocumented migrants in detention — the highest number since September 2019.
