Khaby Lame, one of the most recognisable faces on TikTok with over 162 million followers, has been forced to leave the United States after being detained by U.S. immigration officials for overstaying his visa.
The 25-year-old TikTok creator, full name Seringe Khabane Lame, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on 6 June at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. According to a statement released by ICE and obtained by the Daily Mail, Lame had violated immigration rules after entering the U.S. on 30 April.
The spokesperson confirmed: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Seringe Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, June 6, at the Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada for immigration violations. Lame entered the United States April 30 and overstayed the terms of his visa. Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S.”.
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Despite the serious nature of the situation, Lame has continued to post content online. The above video appeared on his TikTok on 7 June, and a new Story appeared on his Instagram — showed what looked to be Venice Beach – sparking confusion among fans about his whereabouts.
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The incident was reportedly brought to light by conservative influencer Bo Loudon, who claimed responsibility for reporting Lame to authorities and shared what appeared to be an ICE database screenshot stating the creator had been held at Henderson Detention Centre. Lame’s name has since disappeared from that database.
The case comes amid renewed immigration crackdowns under U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January. Since then, ICE operations have ramped up significantly, with mass arrests and deportations triggering large-scale protests — including recent anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles.
Born in Senegal and raised in Italy, Lame became an Italian citizen in 2022. Before rising to internet stardom, he was working at a factory and was made redundant in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He soon turned to TikTok, where his comedic, silent reactions to bizarre “life hack” videos quickly went viral.
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One of his most viewed clips mocks a user who cuts himself out of a car by slicing through his shirt, only for Lame to open the door with a deadpan shrug. Another shows him ditching a plastic pizza cutter for his hands. Speaking to CNN back in 2021, he said: “I came up with the idea because I was seeing these videos circulating, and I liked the idea of bringing some simplicity to it… And the best way was not to speak.”
Now a household name, Lame has attended events like the Met Gala and Milan Fashion Week, but his latest run-in with U.S. immigration shows that even viral fame doesn’t come with a free pass through border control.