By Rahim Abdul
In a surprising turn of events, Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikToker with over 162 million followers, found himself in a dramatic encounter with US immigration authorities.
On June 6, 2025, Lame was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, for allegedly overstaying his visa, which he had entered on April 30, 2025.
The news of his detention was initially shared by Bo Loudon, a political activist and friend of Donald Trump’s son Barron, who claimed Lame was an “illegal alien” and shared a screenshot purportedly from the ICE detainee locator website.
However, ICE later confirmed that Lame was detained for immigration violations but was granted “voluntary departure” instead of facing formal deportation proceedings.
This decision allowed Lame to leave the country without further legal consequences, and he subsequently departed the US.
As the holder of dual citizenship in Senegal and Italy, Lame’s situation highlights the importance of understanding and complying with immigration regulations.
