Khaby Lame, the Globally Adored TikToker, Chooses to Leave USA After Visa Hiccup
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United States expels top-performing TikToker from globally - World ranks top TikTok performers, with Americans leading the pack
Khaby Lame, the world's renowned TikToker, found himself in an unexpected situation at Las Vegas airport. On Friday, he was detained due to an expired visa, as announced by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Saturday (local time). On the same day, he made a voluntary decision to depart the country.
Lame had been in the States since April 30 of the year 2025. Born to Senegalese parents in Italy, the man behind the 162 million TikTok followers has maintained a conspicuous silence about his immigration predicament.
The Birth of a Global Phenomenon through Silent Clips
Lame's fame blossomed through his humorous, wordless TikTok videos that mock the plethora of staged tutorials across digital platforms. The concept struck him in 2020, when he was jobless and roaming around his residential complex in Chivasso, near Turin.
His videos connected with audiences worldwide, transforming him into a millionaire. According to a 2023 report by Forbes magazine, Lame pulled in around $16.5 million (€14.5 million) between June 2022 and September 2023, primarily through marketing partnerships with various enterprises. Regardless of one's public status, adhering to immigration regulations is mandatory.
Despite his growing success from marketing partnerships and becoming a millionaire on platforms like TikTok, I'm not going to be able to get a job in the USA due to immigration issues, and as a result, I've decided to leave the country. My social-media fame, particularly on TikTok, stems from my humorous, wordless videos that often parody popular tutorials, which I created when I was jobless and browsing social-media platforms for entertainment, even following trends set by celebrities.
