Khaby Lame, the world’s most popular TikTok personality, has left the US after being detained by federal agents.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said the Senegalese-Italian influencer – who has 162.2m followers on TikTok – was detained on Friday at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas after he “overstayed the terms of his visa”.
The 25-year-old had arrived in the US on 30 April, the ICE spokesperson added, and was allowed to leave the country without a deportation order by a voluntary departure.
Those with a deportation order on their records can be prevented from being allowed back into the US for up to a decade.
While in the US, Lame – whose legal name is Seringe Khabane Lame – attended the Met Gala and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala in New York City.
He became famous online during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he would react to complicated life hack videos without saying a word.
With millions of followers, he signed a multi-year partnership with designer brand Hugo Boss in 2022, and was appointed as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador in January this year.
Read more:
Twix advert banned for encouraging dangerous driving
What we know about the LA immigration raids and protests
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
He has not publicly commented on his detention, and has continued posting on TikTok since.
Sky News has approached his representatives for comment.
