Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok creator with over 162 million followers, was briefly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 6 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for an immigration violation, officials have confirmed.
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According to a statement issued by ICE to AFP, the 25-year-old influencer, who reportedly earned more than $20 million in 2024 from TikTok and brand deals, was held for overstaying his visa. Lame had entered the United States on April 30 and was released the same day of his detention. ICE also confirmed that he has since left the United States.
Lame, whose real name is Seringe Khabane Lame, is an Italian citizen of Senegalese origin. As of Monday, he had not addressed the incident publicly on any of his social media platforms.
The arrest comes amid intensified immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump, who resumed office in January 2025 and has since launched sweeping immigration crackdowns. Legal experts note that Lame’s brief detention underscores the current administration’s zero-tolerance stance, even for high-profile international figures.
Despite the controversy, there appears to be no immediate impact on Lame’s massive fanbase or his international brand partnerships. Known globally for his signature silent reaction videos that mock overly complicated life hacks, Lame ends each clip with a now-iconic gesture — arms outstretched, palms up, wide-eyed — as if to say, “Why complicate things?”
Lame’s meteoric rise began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 after he lost his job as a factory worker in Chivasso, near Turin, Italy. Armed with a smartphone and a simple message — simplicity can be powerful — he gained viral fame by highlighting the absurdity in everyday tasks.
According to Forbes, Lame earned over $16.5 million from June 2022 to September 2023, thanks to lucrative brand deals with companies eager to tap into his unmatched reach.
While the visa issue has sparked conversation about immigration enforcement practices, there has been no official indication of any ban or restriction on Lame’s future travel to the U.S.
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