In brief
In a surprising twist within the social media landscape, global TikTok star Khaby Lame has been detained and forced to leave the U.S., amidst President Trump's ongoing immigration enforcement.
On June 10, 2025, Khaby Lame, 25, who boasts over 160 million followers on TikTok, was taken into custody at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for overstaying his visa, as announced by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lame, an Italian-Senegalese influencer renowned for his humorous wordless reaction videos, was subsequently granted voluntary departure and left the country.The incident was triggered by another influencer, Bo Loudon, who has aligned himself with Trump and claimed responsibility for Lame’s deportation. Loudon stated on X, “I discovered that he was an illegal,” adding that he took personal action to ensure Lame’s exit from the U.S. While Lame’s former attorney, Riccardo Lanzo, revealed that the TikTok star had spent considerable time in the U.S., he was unclear about Lame’s visa details. ICE noted that Lame entered the U.S. on April 30 and had overstayed his visa conditions.Lame's rise to fame includes significant brand collaborations, a Hollywood cameo, and a streaming series titled "Khaby Is Coming To America" that features his experiences in the U.S. Despite the controversy surrounding his deportation, Lame has remained active on social media post-incident, including a recent update from Brazil.As the immigration debate continues to intensify under the Trump administration, this incident sheds light on the intersection of social media influence and political maneuvers, raising questions about the implications for influencers and their citizenship status in the future.
