Khaby Lame, the world’s most-followed TikTok personality, was briefly detained by U.S. immigration authorities at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport for allegedly overstaying his visa, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The 25-year-old Italian citizen and UNICEF goodwill ambassador arrived in the U.S. on April 30. ICE reported that his stay exceeded the visa’s permitted duration, resulting in his detention on Friday. He was released the same day with “voluntary departure” status and has since exited the country.
Read more: TikTok Sensation Khaby Lame Completes Umrah Pilgrimage
Lame, known for his silent, humorous reactions to overcomplicated life hacks, has not issued any public statement about the incident as of Saturday afternoon. With over 162 million TikTok followers, he has become a global sensation.
The incident occurred amid heightened immigration enforcement efforts under President Donald Trump’s administration. Lame’s celebrity status and the swift handling of his case brought additional public attention.
After losing his factory job in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lame rose to global fame and substantial earnings—reportedly $16.5 million between June 2022 and September 2023, according to Forbes.
