TikTok Megastar Khaby Lame Leaves US After ICE Detention in Las Vegas
On June 6, 2025, Khabane “Khaby” Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok personality, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, for overstaying his visa. The 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian influencer, with over 162 million TikTok followers, was granted voluntary departure the same day and has since left the United States, avoiding a formal deportation order that could have barred him from re-entering the country for up to a decade. The incident occurred amid President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown, which has sparked protests and debates over visa enforcement policies.
Who is Khaby Lame?
Born on March 9, 2000, in Dakar, Senegal, Khabane Serigne Lame moved to Chivasso, near Turin, Italy, at the age of one with his family. Raised in a public housing complex, Lame has often credited his humble beginnings for shaping his values, stating in a 2021 interview, “Public housing is a place to which I owe everything. They taught me education and allowed me to cultivate many bonds.” A practicing Muslim, he became an Italian citizen in 2022 after living in Italy for most of his life. Before his rise to fame, Lame worked as a CNC machine operator in a factory near Turin but was laid off in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This turning point led him to start posting on TikTok, where his unique, silent comedic style quickly gained traction.
Achievements and Global Influence
Khaby Lame’s rise to stardom began during the COVID-19 lockdowns when he started creating videos mocking overly complicated “life hack” tutorials with simple, wordless solutions, often ending with his signature exasperated shrug. His universal humor, relying on facial expressions rather than speech, resonated globally, earning him the title of TikTok’s most-followed creator in June 2022, surpassing Charli D’Amelio. As of 2025, Lame boasts 162.2 million TikTok followers and over 80 million on Instagram. His content, described as speaking a “global language,” has garnered millions of views, with six of the 25 most-liked TikTok videos belonging to him.
Lame’s success extends beyond social media. In 2022, he signed a multi-year partnership with Hugo Boss, appearing in their #BeYourOwnBoss campaign. He has collaborated with major brands like Fortnite and Walmart, reportedly earning up to $750,000 per post, contributing to an estimated net worth of $16.5 million by 2023. In January 2025, Lame was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, recognizing his global influence and advocacy potential. He has also ventured into entertainment, with a voice cameo in the Italian-dubbed *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* (2022), a non-speaking role in *Bad Boys: Ride or Die* (2024), and a starring role in the Tubi series *Khaby Is Coming to America* (2024). Additionally, he served as a juror on *Italia’s Got Talent* in 2023 and authored a book, *Khaby’s Diary: There’s Always a Way Not to Complicate Things*.
The One-Minute Silence Video
One of Lame’s most iconic and viral videos is his “one-minute silence” clip, where he humorously pays tribute to simplicity without uttering a word. In this video, posted in 2021, Lame silently stares at the camera with his signature deadpan expression for a full minute, mocking the trend of overly dramatic or complex social media content. The video, which has garnered millions of views, exemplifies his ability to connect with audiences through minimalism and universal humor. Fans have praised it as a testament to his comedic genius, with comments highlighting how his silence “speaks louder than words.” This clip, like many of his others, showcases his knack for exposing the absurdity of viral trends with straightforward logic.
Details of the Detention
Lame entered the U.S. on April 30, 2025, on a temporary visa, likely under the Visa Waiver Program, which allows Italian citizens to stay for up to 90 days for business or tourism. ICE reported that he overstayed the terms of his visa, leading to his detention on June 6. Conservative influencer Bo Loudon, an 18-year-old Trump supporter, claimed responsibility for reporting Lame, alleging he was an “illegal alien” who evaded taxes—a claim unsupported by evidence regarding tax evasion. Loudon posted a screenshot purportedly from the ICE detainee database, though Lame’s name no longer appears in it. Lame was briefly held at Henderson Detention Center in Nevada before being released under a voluntary departure agreement, which allowed him to leave without a formal deportation record. He has not publicly commented on the incident but continued posting on social media, including a June 7 Instagram Story from Venice Beach and a TikTok video uploaded the same day.
Public Reaction and Context
The detention sparked significant attention online, with fans expressing shock and support for Lame, while others debated the broader implications of Trump’s immigration policies. The incident occurred amid heightened ICE enforcement, with over 51,000 undocumented migrants detained by early June 2025, the highest since September 2019. Lame’s case highlights the challenges faced by high-profile individuals under strict visa regulations, raising questions about the balance between enforcement and cultural contributions. Despite the controversy, Lame’s global fanbase remains strong, eagerly awaiting his next moves from outside the U.S.
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