TikTok Star Khaby Lame Detained and Released by ICE After Visa Violation at Las Vegas Airport
*Khaby Lame, the Senegalese-born TikTok star with a following of over 160 million, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 6 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for “immigration violations,” according to a statement from ICE.
As Newsweek reports, the 25-year-old, who arrived in the United States on April 30, had overstayed the terms of his visa and was subsequently granted voluntary departure the same day he was taken into custody. He has since left the country.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed: “Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S.”
Lame rose to global prominence during the COVID pandemic with his signature silent comedy skits. “Before TikTok, I was working in a factory. I had a lot of different jobs,” he previously told PEOPLE.
“I was helping support my family — three little brothers, one older brother and my parents. Then my world changed completely. It’s a whole different life now,” he added.
@khaby.lame Level #learnfromkhaby #comedy ♬ original sound – Khabane lame
“When I discovered TikTok during COVID, I was making videos for fun. It was a way for all of us to step outside of all the things that were going on in the world,” he shared. “I was just there trying to make people laugh. It wasn’t something that I expected to be my form of work in the future.”
Born in Senegal, Lame moved to Italy as a baby and was granted Italian citizenship in August 2022, during his social media fame. His detainment comes during President Donald Trump’s aggressive push for immigration enforcement. The administration has targeted undocumented individuals, often affecting people with valid documentation as well.
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