TikTok’s biggest star was detained by ICE, with help from another influencer

Khaby Lame, one of the world’s top TikTok creators, was recently detained by U.S. immigration officials in Las Vegas and has since left the country, The New York Times reports. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Lame, an Italian-Senegalese influencer known for his silent, deadpan reactions to viral clips, overstayed the terms of his visa after arriving in April. He was reportedly granted voluntary departure and is now abroad.

The situation grabbed headlines after a teenage influencer, Bo Loudon, boasted on X that he flagged Lame’s immigration status to authorities. Loudon, who often posts political content, said he reached out to contacts to report it.

Lame, 25, has built a massive global following — and a string of lucrative brand deals — after he reportedly lost his job during the pandemic. In addition to partnering with big names like Hugo Boss, he has also appeared — very briefly — in a Hollywood movie, and starred in a three-part travel series about his time in the U.S. He hasn’t publicly addressed the incident as of this writing.