Visa Overstay: Khaby Lame Exits U.S. After Immigration Detention

(The Post News)– Khaby Lame, globally recognized as the most popular TikTok personality, has departed the United States after being detained by immigration officials in Las Vegas. The influencer’s exit came after he was apprehended for allegedly overstaying his visa, highlighting a growing trend amid heightened U.S. immigration enforcement.

Lame, a 25-year-old Senegalese-Italian citizen, arrived in the US on April 30. According to officials, he subsequently “overstayed the terms of his visa”, leading to his detention on a Friday at Harry Reid International Airport. While the exact date of his departure has not been specified by authorities, he was permitted to leave the country without facing a formal deportation order.

The critical element in Lame’s departure was the granting of a “voluntary departure” agreement. This provision allows individuals facing removal from the U.S. to avoid having a deportation order on their immigration record. Such an order carries significant weight, potentially preventing re-entry into the country for up to a decade. By accepting this voluntary departure, Lame was able to mitigate these severe long-term immigration consequences.

His situation unfolds within the broader context of U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating crackdown on immigration, which has seen an increase in enforcement actions and deportations. Lame’s case is notably high-profile among those caught in this recent surge, as approximately 51,000 undocumented migrants were in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention as of early June, marking a record high since September 2019.

Despite his prominent global presence, Lame has not publicly commented on his detention or voluntary departure. As an Italian citizen, he is typically allowed to travel to the US for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. He had notably attended the Met Gala in New York City in May, just days after his arrival in the country.