Khaby Lame, the Italian social media sensation and the most-followed TikToker in the world, was briefly detained by US immigration authorities on Friday, June 6, for overstaying his visa.
According to a statement released by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the 25-year-old content creator—known officially as Seringe Khabane Lame—was taken into custody at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for “immigration violations.” ICE said Lame had entered the United States on April 30 and remained in the country beyond the permitted terms of his visa.
The agency confirmed that he was released on the same day and allowed to leave the country under “voluntary departure.” Lame has since exited the United States, officials said.
As of Saturday afternoon, Lame had not issued any public statement or social media post addressing the incident.
The detainment comes amid intensified immigration enforcement under US President Donald Trump, whose administration has moved swiftly this year to clamp down on visa overstays and push for mass deportations—many of which are being contested in court.
Khaby Lame rose to global fame through his silent reaction videos, humorously simplifying overly complicated life hacks. He currently boasts more than 162 million followers on TikTok and was named a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. Despite his humble beginnings in Italy, where he once lived in public housing after being laid off from a factory job, Lame has since turned his viral fame into a multimillion-dollar career. Forbes estimated he earned $16.5 million between June 2022 and September 2023 through brand deals and endorsements.
