World’s most-followed TikToker leaves US after visa violation detention in Las Vegas
Khaby Lame granted voluntary departure to avoid deportation ban
ANKARA
Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok personality, has left the United States after being detained by immigration authorities in Las Vegas over a visa violation, according to multiple press reports on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian influencer, born Seringe Khabane Lame, was taken into custody on Friday at Harry Reid International Airport, CBS News reported.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said Lame had overstayed his visa after arriving in the country on April 30. He was granted voluntary departure, a move that allows him to leave without triggering a formal deportation order and the accompanying 10-year reentry ban.
Lame’s detention comes amid President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on immigration, including a wave of ICE raids in cities such as Los Angeles.
Lame became a global sensation during the COVID-19 pandemic with his signature silent TikTok reaction videos that mock unnecessarily complicated “life hacks.” He currently has more than 162 million followers on the platform.
He became an Italian citizen in 2022 and was seen attending the Met Gala in New York last month. As of Wednesday, he has not issued a public statement regarding the incident.
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