Khaby Lame, the Senegalese-Italian young man who conquered the world with his witty gestures and silent humor on TikTok, recently found himself in a situation where neither his sense of humor nor his digital fame could help him.
This time, it wasn’t a visual joke that garnered millions of likes, but rather a direct confrontation with U.S. immigration authorities that ended in a voluntary departure order.
According to the New York Post, Lame was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Las Vegas Airport while attempting to leave the country. The action was taken after officials discovered he had overstayed the legal period granted by his tourist visa.
The same source noted that Lame had entered the U.S. on April 30 to attend the Met Gala held in New York in early May, and then decided to stay for a few additional weeks for leisure.
What began as a glamorous appearance on the red carpet alongside top designers and celebrities eventually turned into a sensitive legal case that captured public and media attention.
A report by France24 indicated that Lame had entered the country on a B-2 visa, which is intended for short-term visits such as tourism or non-commercial event attendance.
Although this visa typically allows a temporary stay of up to 90 days, U.S. law requires that the individual either leave the country within the permitted timeframe or apply for an official extension. In Lame’s case, neither occurred, leaving him in a legally precarious position at the point of departure.
According to Billboard, U.S. authorities offered Lame the option of a voluntary departure, which would allow him to leave the country of his own accord without a forced deportation being recorded on his record.
This option is considered less harmful from a legal standpoint and helps preserve the possibility of obtaining future visas—albeit under stricter scrutiny. Lame accepted the offer and departed the United States on the same day he was detained.
What’s particularly notable is that although Lame holds Italian citizenship, he was not exempt from America’s stringent entry procedures. While Italy is part of the Visa Waiver Program, this program only allows stays of up to 90 days and requires prior electronic authorization.
In Lame’s case—and likely due to the formal nature of his Met Gala invitation—he was granted a B-2 visa instead of the standard ESTA authorization, making him subject to the visa’s fixed residency rules, which he violated without taking steps to correct his status.
The incident sparked wide discussion about the standards applied to public figures entering the United States, and whether exceptions are ever truly made. It demonstrated that immigration laws make no distinction between global celebrities and ordinary individuals when clear violations occur.
In his first comment after leaving the country, Lame told the media, “I’m grateful to everyone who stood by me, and I’ll be back soon—with a smile and in silence.”
These simple words reflect Lame’s cheerful spirit, but they also carry serious undertones about the legal challenges that may face even those who are known for breaking boundaries… with silence alone.
