TikTok influencer Khabane “Khaby” Lame, a Senegalese-Italian celebrity, has been deported back to his home country. Known for his comedic “life hack” videos on TikTok, where he has amassed over 163 million followers, Khaby has also walked the runway for Hugo Boss. He recently attended the Met Gala in New York City (above).
Hugo Boss/MEGA
Khaby, born in Senegal, immigrated with his family to Italy, where he was raised in public housing. Due to financial difficulties, Khaby worked in a factory to support his family.
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Khaby was laid off from his factory job. Frustrated and seeking a way to entertain himself, he pulled out his cell phone and began recording silent videos in his bedroom.
Khaby, a 25-year-old influencer, quickly rose to become the biggest on TikTok, amassing over 163 million followers. His impressive reach has earned him substantial rewards, with a single post on TikTok fetching him a hefty $750,000. Remarkably, in 2022, he raked in over $10 million in revenue.
With his newfound wealth, Khaby made a significant purchase—a house for his parents.
According to Newsweek, Khaby arrived in the United States on April 30 and was detained by immigration officials at Harry Reid Airport in Las Vegas on June 6 due to immigration violations.
ICE officials confirmed that Khaby was detained for overstaying his visa but was released the same day after agreeing to self-deport.
In a statement to Men’s Journal, ICE officials stated, “Lame entered the United States on April 30 and overstayed the terms of his visa. Lame was granted voluntary departure on June 6 and has since departed the United States.”
The incident was initially reported by political activist and Trump supporter Bo Loudon, who claimed to have played a role in alerting ICE officials to Khaby’s arrival in the United States.
In a post on X (Twitter), Loudon wrote, “I discovered that he was an illegal immigrant who overstayed an invalid visa, evaded taxes, and I personally took action to have him deported.”
Loudon also claimed to have collaborated with “the patriots at President Trump’s DHS to make this happen.”
Khaby’s deportation is part of President Donald Trump’s plan to utilize local police, ICE agents, and the military to carry out the largest mass deportation in United States history.
During his second term in office, Trump aims to deport 15-20 million immigrants.
It’s worth noting that green card holders who have resided legally in the United States for decades can also be deported if they have a single conviction for a deportable crime.
