TikTok Titan Falls to U.S. Immigration Law After Met Gala Stunt — Khaby Lame Detained, Booted for Visa Violation
Khaby Lame, the wordless wonder who rose from a laid-off factory worker in Italy to the most-followed TikTok creator on Earth, just found himself on the wrong side of U.S. immigration authorities.
On June 6, the Senegal-born Italian citizen was briefly detained by ICE at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport for allegedly overstaying his temporary visa — just a month after strutting down the red carpet at the 2025 Met Gala in a custom gray zoot suit.
Lame, who commands a staggering 162 million TikTok followers, had arrived in the U.S. on April 30 for the Met Gala. But by early June, his glitzy trip took a sudden turn, as ICE agents flagged him for “immigration violations” and placed him in custody.
Rather than face extended detention or formal deportation, Lame was granted “voluntary departure” — a lesser-known option that lets foreign nationals leave the country without legal penalties if they foot the bill themselves. By day’s end, he was reportedly en route back to Italy.
The timing is striking: the Department of Homeland Security had just unveiled a controversial new initiative offering illegal aliens $1,000 cash, amnesty for fines, and free airfare if they agree to self-deport using the CBP Home App. DHS says the program gives violators a clean exit — and even the chance to return legally in the future.
But Lame, despite his fame, did not qualify for the new incentive package — likely due to his visa type and short-term visitor status. Still, critics are asking: Why are celebrity visa violators treated with velvet gloves while others are met with armed ICE raids?
Adding fuel to the fire, political activist Bo Loudon claimed he personally tipped off ICE and alleged Lame was held at the Henderson Detention Center in Nevada — a claim that stirred controversy across social media.
Khaby has remained silent on the ordeal, and his digital empire continues to hum. But one thing is clear: even the kings of content can’t post their way out of U.S. immigration law.
