Bo Loudon, a young conservative influencer with close ties to the Trump family, claims direct responsibility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention of Khaby Lame, TikTok’s most-followed creator with over 162 million followers.
Key Takeaways
- TikTok star Khaby Lame was detained by ICE at Las Vegas airport on June 6 for overstaying his visa and subsequently granted voluntary departure from the United States.
- Bo Loudon, an 18-year-old conservative influencer who claims friendship with Barron Trump, took credit for initiating Lame’s detention through his connections in the Trump administration.
- The detention represents a high-profile example of President Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement policies targeting even internationally-recognized public figures.
- Lame, originally from Senegal and now an Italian citizen, has not publicly addressed his detention despite his massive social media presence of 162.2 million TikTok followers.
- This case highlights the administration’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws regardless of celebrity status or public visibility.
Conservative Gen Z Influencer Claims Credit for TikTok Star’s Detention
Bo Loudon, an 18-year-old conservative influencer with deep political connections, has publicly claimed responsibility for the detention of Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok creator. Loudon, son of former Republican Missouri state Senator John Loudon and conservative media personality Gina Loudon, boasted about his involvement in facilitating the detention through his alleged connections with the Trump administration. ICE officers detained Lame at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on June 6 for immigration violations, specifically for overstaying his visa.
“I’ve been working with the patriots at President Trump’s DHS to make this happen,” Loudon, 18, wrote on X,” said Bo Loudon
In a more detailed statement, Loudon claimed: “I discovered he was an illegal who overstayed an invalid VISA, evaded taxes, and I personally took action to have him deported,” said Bo Loudon
High-Profile Target in Immigration Crackdown
Khaby Lame’s detention represents a significant escalation in President Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy, demonstrating that even global celebrities are not exempt from the administration’s policies. Lame, who rose to fame during the pandemic after being laid off from a factory job in Italy, has amassed an astounding 162.2 million followers on TikTok alone—surpassing the combined follower counts of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and President Donald Trump. Despite his recent appearance at the 2025 Met Gala and lucrative partnerships with brands like Boss and Binance, Lame’s status did not shield him from immigration enforcement.
“TikTok star Khaby Lame was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on June 6 for “immigration violations,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The ICE statement confirmed that Lame was “granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S.” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Trump Administration’s Broader Immigration Strategy
Lame’s case highlights the Trump administration’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws regardless of an individual’s public profile or economic status. While liberal critics have characterized recent deportation efforts as potentially violating due process rights, the administration has remained steadfast in implementing stricter border controls and internal enforcement. The detention of such a high-profile figure sends a clear message about the seriousness of the administration’s approach to immigration violations, even those committed by individuals with significant economic resources and international recognition.
Loudon, who frequently posts about his connections to the Trump family, has been instrumental in helping the President connect with younger voters. “It was the honor of my life to be able to organize and attend the LEGENDARY stream between Rightful President Trump and my friend @AdinRoss,” Loudon wrote at the time. “GEN-Z STANDS WITH TRUMP!,” said Bo Loudon
The Rise and Temporary Fall of a Social Media Giant
Lame, originally from Senegal, gained Italian citizenship in 2022 and has built his social media empire through simple, humorous videos that typically mock overly complicated life hacks. “Using the hashtag ‘learnfromkhaby’ on many of his videos, Lame’s fame is more akin to the internet stardom of yore, in which an exasperated look or a quick humorous bit, stripped of any high production value or product placement, could take off on Vine,” said USA Today
Despite his massive platform, Lame has remained silent about his detention and subsequent departure from the United States. The influencer, who serves as an ambassador for UNICEF alongside his commercial partnerships, has not responded to media requests for comment. This silence stands in stark contrast to the vocal celebrations from Loudon, who continues to tout his alleged role in the enforcement action, further highlighting the intersection of social media influence, immigration policy, and the political landscape under the Trump administration.
