Audio By Carbonatix
Khaby Lame, considered the most popular TikTok star in the world, has left the US after being detained by immigration officials.
The influencer was detained in Las Vegas on Friday for allegedly staying in the country after his visa expired. He then voluntarily departed, but officials did not say which day he left.
Lame is one of hundreds of people caught in US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, which includes cross-country raids and an increasing number of deportations, and which has also sparked days of protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Lame has not publicly commented on his voluntary departure, leaving fans guessing about when he left and where he is now.
ICE has said he arrived in the US on 30 April and then overstayed his visa.
Officials said he was released the same day he was detained and subsequently left the country.
A voluntary departure allows people who are facing removal from the US to avoid having a deportation order on their immigration record. Deportation orders can prevent immigrants from being allowed back into the US for up to a decade.
The 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian influencer, who has 162.3 million TikTok followers, became popular during the pandemic for his silent videos and signature facial expressions.
"It's my face and my expressions which make people laugh," Lame told The New York Times in 2021, adding that his reactions speak "a global language".
As an Italian citizen, he is allowed to travel to the US for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa.
Lame attended the Met Gala in May. Otherwise, it is unclear what he was doing while in the US.
His deportation has made headlines as he is one of the more high-profile people to be deported in Trump's latest surge to cut illegal immigration into the country.
Some 51,000 undocumented migrants were in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention as of early June - the highest on record since September 2019.
Latest Stories
-
Putin calls for ‘just world’, says every nation must be free to choose its own path
4 minutes -
IFY 2026 food festival to serve 20,000 meals showcasing global cuisines in Russia
15 minutes -
Ghana has a Domestic Violence Act: But can a victim afford to use it?
19 minutes -
Young artists from 100 countries showcase works at IFY 2026 in Russia
20 minutes -
Russia opens neo-Nazism exhibition at International Festival of Youth 2026
40 minutes -
VC inaugurates three committees ahead of UG’s 80th anniversary celebration
46 minutes -
Today’s Front pages: Monday, September 14, 2026
54 minutes -
The Or Foundation to launch recycled textiles platform Foose Materials during London Design Week
60 minutes -
110 children at Cardiothoracic Centre get second chance at life as Ghana Medical Trust Fund marks first year
1 hour -
‘I’m suffering’ – Motherless 12-year-old who lost both legs, father in Ofankor-Pokuase crash seeks support
1 hour -
Education Ministry extends 2026 SHS placement exercise by one week
2 hours -
Better roads will create sustainable jobs for Ghana’s youth – Joyce Bawah Mogtari
3 hours -
Kumasi Expressway to cut travel time, boost economic activity – Joyce Bawah Mogtari
3 hours -
GOIL could hold fuel prices despite $100 crude oil shock – Edward Bawa
3 hours -
Fitch lifts Ghana’s 2026 current account surplus forecast to 7.8%
3 hours