One month after shutting down the MET Gala carpet, TikTok sensation Khabane "Khaby" Lame has become the latest target of President Donald Trump's deportation agenda. The content creator is known for his silent reaction videos on social media, but even his status as a beloved influencer couldn't protect him from a face-to-face meeting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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Lame was detained by U.S. immigration at the Las Vegas airport over the weekend. ICE confirmed the news to Men’s Journal in a statement saying, "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Seringe Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, June 6, at the Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada for immigration violations."
Apparently, Lame's dance with ICE came after he overstayed his U.S. visa. The 25-year-old came into the country on April 30, but his visa has since expired, ICE officials said. This led to authorities catching him at the Vegas' airport and detaining him briefly.
The Senegal-born TikToker likes to keep his personal life private— which is probably evident by his silent persona. He first rose to fame in 2020 as his entertaining TikToks took over social media. He is currently the most followed influencer on the app, with over 162.2 million followers. Forbes estimates his net worth is $20 million.
News of Lame's detainment went viral after conservative commentator Bo Loudon claimed he personally reported the TikTok star to ICE. "President Trump's ICE just announced the largest TikTok user, ILLEGAL ALIEN Khaby Lame, has 'departed' the U.S. after being taken into custody," he wrote on X. "No one works faster than President Trump's administration!"
Lame was born in Senegal but became a citizen of Italy in 2022, according to Newsweek. Despite Boudon's claims that the influencer was being held at a Nevada detention center, ICE officials said Lame was given the opportunity to leave the country voluntarily after being detained. He did just that.
Despite the controversy, Lame continues to post on his social platforms like nothing has happened. In fact, his most recent TikTok was posted two days after he was reportedly detained. Fans flooded the comments to share their thoughts. "Are u okay I hope everything on the internet is a lie," @henny0511 replied. Another user, @jollymagezi, said, "bro ain't deported just winning."
Lame was detained just as the peaceful anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles took a violent turn. As we previously reported, Trump sent in the National Guard despite criticism from Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats. Now, Newsom announced plans to sue the administration.
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