Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikToker, was detained by US immigration authorities earlier this month for overstaying his visa, according to an official statement provided to Men’s Journal by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lame, who has over 162 million followers on TikTok, was taken into custody at Harry Reid International Airport in Paradise, Nevada, on 6 June. ICE stated that the 25-year-old content creator had entered the US on 30 April but stayed beyond the limits of his visa.
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 US,” ICE added.
Khabane “Khaby” Lame was born in Senegal and later became an Italian citizen. He rose to fame during the COVID-19 pandemic with his signature silent videos mocking overly complicated life hacks. Known for his expressive reactions and simplicity, he quickly became one of the most recognised figures on social media.
Lame’s popularity has landed him on prestigious lists such as Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Fortune’s 40 Under 40. He currently holds the record for the most-followed individual on TikTok globally.'
News of the detention was first made public by political activist Bo Loudon, who posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Lame had been arrested in Las Vegas and was being held at the Henderson Detention Center.
“President Trump’s ICE just officially arrested far-left TikToker, Khaby Lame, whom I reported as an illegal alien,” Loudon claimed in a post. “According to the official DHS website, he’s currently being held at the Henderson Detention Center and is in ICE CUSTODY,” Loudon said.
In another post, Loudon added, “Meet far-left TikTok star ‘Khaby Lame.’ He’s an ILLEGAL ALIEN! I’ve been working with the patriots at President Trump’s DHS to make this happen.”
Loudon also posted what he claimed was a screenshot from ICE’s online detainee locator tool showing Lame in custody.
The claims sparked confusion online after Lame was seen posting actively on his Instagram Story and TikTok account after the date of the reported detention. This led many fans to question whether the arrest had actually happened.
However, despite the ongoing speculation, ICE confirmed the detention and departure in its official statement.
