TikTok’s most watched and followed creator, Khaby Lame, self-deported after being detained by ICE, not even a month after his celebrated attendance at the Met Gala.
Most-followed TikTok creator, Khaby Lame, self-deported after being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement at an airport for reportedly overstaying his visa. With 162.3 million followers, Lame’s videos accumulate multi-million views, making him one of the most-watched creator globally on the app.
Just a month after attending the Met Gala, Lame reportedly agreed to leave America after being detained in a Las Vegas airport by ICE on June 6.
The 25-year-old, who’s real name is Serigne Khabane Lame, was held at the Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, because he “overstayed the terms of his visa”, a spokesperson for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement told the Associated Press. In a statement, ICE added: “Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S”.
Lame had arrived in America on April 30 on a temporary visa and attended the Met Gala. It’s currently unclear whether Lame returned immediately to his home in Italy, as, on June 10, he shared an Instagram story of himself in São Paulo, Brazil.
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Lame’s deportation was reportedly orchestrated by none other than Baron Trump’s “best friend” and video creator, Bo Loudon. In following suit with Donald Trump’s “no mercy” approach, presently asserting dominance in LA via federal law-enforcement, the self-proclaimed “best friend” of the president’s son claims that he took Lame’s fate into his own hands.
According to The Mirror US, Loudon claims he heard of Lame’s overstaying his visa from a “few of his friends” and “business partners,” the influencer wished the star “the best of luck,” adding that he hoped Lame could return as “a law-abiding citizen”.
In a video posted on June 9, Loudon said: “I just called some buddies in the administration, and I’ve never seen anything happen so quick. They were like, ‘We’re gonna get right on this'”.
Loudon also tweeted: “BREAKING: Far-left ILLEGAL ALIEN TikToker Khaby Lame was just ARRESTED and is now in ICE custody under President Trump. I discovered he was an illegal who overstayed an invalid VISA, evaded taxes, and I personally took action to have him deported. No one is above the law!”
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Lame’s fans swarmed to socials to share their shock, discussing his detainment by immigration in the comment sections of posts that have nothing to do with the incident.
One fan wrote: “Laws have to be followed wherever you go. No exceptions. Even if you don’t agree with them. In any country, you have to follow THEIR laws, not your beliefs, wants, or desires. Hang in there @khaby00 and make it all legal! You are loved by so many!”. On another post, a comment read: “Bro ain’t deported just winning”.
Lame has yet to comment publicly on the incident, however many of his fellow creators have begun to use their social platforms to protest the processing failure as seen of Trump’s mass deportation raids in LA and other cities. The Mirror have reached out to Lame’s team for comment.
