By Seyi Babalola
Khaby Lame, an Italian-Senegalese social media star and the world’s most followed TikTok creator, has been deported from the United States after reportedly overstaying his visa, according to The New York Times.
Lame, 25, was held in Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport last Friday, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The agency confirmed Lame’s detention in an official statement, claiming that he entered the country on April 30 but “overstayed the terms of his visa.”
Lame, who rose to international celebrity for his quiet hilarious replies to overly complicated “life hack” films, has more than 160 million TikTok followers.
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 sparked a storm of 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, formerly Twitter.
Following his deportation, Lame has not issued any formal statement. However, on Monday, he posted an Instagram story tagged in São Paulo, Brazil, marking his first confirmed location since leaving the US
Lame’s former legal representative, Riccardo Lanzo, told The New York Times that the influencer had spent significant time in the US recently but acknowledged uncertainty regarding his visa status.
The case came amid a broader immigration enforcement push under Trump’s renewed administration.