TikTok Star Khaby Lame leaves US after visa overstay detention

Khaby Lame, the world’s most followed TikTok star, has left the United States after being detained by immigration officers in Las Vegas for allegedly overstaying his visa.

Lame, whose legal name is Seringe Khabane Lame, was stopped on Friday at Harry Reid International Airport and held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Authorities said the Senegalese-born Italian influencer overstayed the terms of his visa after arriving in the U.S. on April 30.

“Lame arrived in the U.S. on April 30 and overstayed the terms of his visa,” an ICE spokesperson confirmed, adding that he was allowed to leave the country voluntarily without a deportation order.

A voluntary departure allows a person facing removal to exit the U.S. without a formal deportation order being placed on their record—an outcome that could have blocked Lame from reentering the U.S. for up to ten years.

The Associated Press reached out on Tuesday to the email address listed on Lame’s Instagram profile seeking comment, but he has not issued a public statement.

His detainment and departure come amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which has seen an increase in enforcement activities including raids in Los Angeles that triggered days of protests against ICE.

The 25-year-old rose to global prominence during the pandemic by creating wordless TikTok videos where he reacts to unnecessarily complicated “life hacks.” His silent, straight-faced style earned him over 162 million followers on the platform.

Born in Senegal, Lame moved to Italy as a baby with his working-class parents and holds Italian citizenship. His online success opened doors beyond social media. He signed a multiyear deal with fashion brand Hugo Boss in 2022 and, in January, was named a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.

Just last month, he attended the Met Gala in New York City, only days after his arrival in the U.S.