Khaby Lame, World's Biggest TikTok Star Leaves US After Being Detained By ICE

Khaby Lame, the 25-year-old Senegalese-origin Italian content creator and influencer, who is world's most popular TikTok personality with 160 million followers, left the US, after being detained by immigration agents in Las Vegas for allegedly overstaying his visa.

Why Khaby left the US?

As per a report in Associated Press, Khaby was held at Harry Reid International Airport on Friday, June 6, according to a spokesperson for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He was not issued a deportation order, but Lame voluntarily left the country. For the unversed, it is an option which allows individuals to leave without a formal deportation based on their immigration records. He reportedly arrived in the US on April 30.

A spokesperson from ICE said, "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Seringe Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, June 6, at the Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, for immigration violations."

Lame's detainment and voluntary departure from the US come amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration, including the raids in Los Angeles that led to protests across several cities in the country.

Lame is yet to comment on his detainment.

Who is Khaby Lame?

Born in Senegal and raised in Chivasso, Italy, Khaby Lame's real name is Seringe Khabane Lame. He rose to fame during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He posted "life hacks" videos on Instagram, without saying a word. He has 162 million followers on TikTok and 80 million on Instagram.

Apart from being a content creator and influencer, Khaby had also lent his voice to the Italian dub of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022. In 2024, he made a cameo appearance in Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starrer Bad Boys: Ride or Die. In the same year, he also featured in his unscripted comedy series Khaby Is Coming to America, which premiered on Tubi.

In January 2025, Khaby was appointed as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. He also made appearance in the Met Gala 2025 in New York City.