Khaby Lame, Italian-Senegalese social media sensation, known as the world’s most followed TikTok creator, has been deported from the U.S after allegedly overstaying his visa, The New York Times reported.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Lame, 25, was detained last Friday at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
The agency affirmed the detention in an official statement, stating that Lame entered the country on April 30 but “overstayed the terms of his visa.”
Lame, who rose to international fame for his silent comedic reactions to overcomplicated “life hack” videos, has amassed over 160 million followers on TikTok.
His online popularity led to collaborations with global fashion brands, a role in a Hollywood film, and a reality show on Tubi titled Khaby is coming to America.
His deportation has triggered numerous reactions online.
“Every single illegal alien needs to be DEPORTED. When I found out the biggest TikTok star, Khaby Lame, is an illegal alien evading taxes, I worked with Trump’s ICE to have him removed. He’s since been detained by ICE and removed,” Bo Loudon, a Gen Z Trump supporter and self-styled activist, wrote on X.
After Lame's deportation, he has not issued any formal statement. Nevertheless, on Monday, he posted an Instagram story tagged in São Paulo, Brazil, marking his first authenticated location since leaving the US
The New York times was informed by Lame’s former legal representative, Riccardo Lanzo, that the influencer had spent significant time in the US recently but expressed uncertainty regarding his visa status.
The case came in the midst of a broader immigration enforcement push under Trump’s renewed administration.