The 25-year-old Italian content creator, known for his silent reaction videos and signature hand gestures, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 6 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.
Khaby Lame, whose full name is Seringe Khabane Lame, was detained for “immigration violations” after entering the U.S. on April 30 and failing to comply with the terms of his visa.
According to ICE, “Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S.” The agency confirmed that Lame had overstayed the terms of his visa, prompting his detention.
The incident comes amid a sweeping immigration crackdown under the renewed presidency of Donald Trump, who returned to office in January. ICE has ramped up enforcement actions, with mass deportations and raids targeting undocumented individuals across the U.S.
Khaby Lame’s global fanbase continues to grow, with over 162 million followers on TikTok and more than 80 million on Instagram. His rise to fame began during the pandemic, where his wordless, sarcastic reaction videos mocking overly complicated life hacks gained widespread popularity.
Fans took to his Instagram account to express concern over his detention, with one user commenting, “Bro, you good?” Another user said, “I hope you are okay. Sorry you had to voluntarily deport!”
Conservative influencer Bo Loudon claimed responsibility for reporting Lame to authorities, sharing what appeared to be an ICE database screenshot stating the creator had been held at Henderson Detention Centre. Loudon wrote, “I discovered he was illegal who overstayed an invalid VISA, evaded taxes, and I personally took action to have him deported”.
Lame’s exit from the U.S. has sparked discussions about immigration policies and their impact on international visitors and artists. Despite his departure, Khaby Lame remains active online, and his fans continue to show their support.