U.S. immigration authorities detained and subsequently facilitated the “voluntary departure” of Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok personality, after he reportedly overstayed his visa. Authorities confirmed the incident on Saturday.
“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,” the agency stated in an official communication to Vivid Voice News.
Lame, an Italian national who serves as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and commands a TikTok following exceeding 162 million, had entered the United States on April 30 and “overstayed the terms of his visa,” according to the statement regarding his Friday detention.
He was released on the same day and “has since departed the U.S.” As of Saturday afternoon, Lame had not publicly commented on the incident.
Since assuming office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has actively pursued campaign pledges to strengthen immigration controls and implement a widespread deportation initiative, elements of which are currently being challenged in U.S. courts.
Lame holds the top position on the widely popular TikTok social media platform with 162.2 million followers. He gained global recognition for his brief, silent videos that humorously critique the often overly complicated tutorials and life hacks prevalent online.
His content is famously punctuated by his signature gesture: palms turned skyward, accompanied by a knowing smile and wide eyes, as he presents simple solutions.
The concept for his distinctive videos emerged while he was navigating the housing project where his family resided in Chivasso, near Turin, after losing his factory mechanic job in March 2020.
His viral posts significantly boosted his earnings, helping him gross an estimated $16.5 million through various marketing deals with companies between June 2022 and September 2023, as reported by Forbes.
