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The world’s biggest TikTok star was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Las Vegas and allowed to “self-deport” after he attended the Met Gala in May and overstayed his visa, officials told The Post.
Khaby Lame, 25, — whose real name is Seringe Khabane Lame and who enjoys more than 162 million followers on TikTok — was caught by ICE agents at the Harry Reid International Airport on June 6, putting an end to his American tour.
“US 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 overstaying the terms of his visa,” a senior Department of Homeland Security official told The Post.
“Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since self-deported the US,” the official added.
Lame, who was born in Senegal, had entered the US on April 30 under a temporary visa. Lame had been in New York City last month, attending the Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a sharp, grey suit littered with pocket watches.
The incident went viral after political activist Bo Loudon claimed he personally reported Lame to immigration authorities and alleged that the TikToker was being held at the Henderson Detention Center, in Nevada.
Lame, whose social media accounts are filled with humorous clips and videos of his world-trotting exploits, has yet to publicly discuss the incident.
Although born in West Africa, Lame has spent the majority of his life in Italy, where he joined TikTok during the pandemic out of boredom before his meteoric rise.
Lame’s videos, mostly wordless, captivate viewers with humor conveyed through his comedic body language reacting to videos and online sketches.
Lame surpassed social media star Charli D’Amelio as the most followed content creator on TikTok back in 2022, with the Italian citizen maintaining the lead three years and counting.
The TikTok star, who previously boasted that he earns millions for his videos, told People Magazine last year that before he found stardom, he worked at a local factory to help support his family.
English (US)