Social media superstar Khaby Lame, who commands a massive following of over 162 million on TikTok, experienced a brief detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as confirmed by the agency in a statement to Men’s Journal on June 7.
In an official correspondence to Men’s Journal, ICE stated, “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Serigne Khabane Lame, 25, an Italian citizen, on June 6, at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, due to immigration violations.”
The agency disclosed that Lame had arrived in the United States on April 30 but had “exceeded his visa’s authorized duration.” According to ICE’s statement, “Lame was granted voluntary departure on June 6 and has subsequently left U.S. territory.”
Social media platforms buzzed with speculation about the report’s authenticity when followers noticed Lame’s ongoing digital presence after the detention rumors began circulating. His recent posts, including appearances at a bookstore and a birthday tribute to a sports figure, led many to doubt whether the detention had occurred.
ICE subsequently explained that since Lame was allowed to depart voluntarily, his information was never entered into the agency’s public detainee database, explaining why his name didn’t appear in official records.
The detention story gained momentum after social media influencer Bo Louden shared a post on his X (previously Twitter) account on June 6, claiming that ICE had taken Lame into custody in Nevada. Louden included what seemed to be an ICE detainee search result for “Serigne Khabane Lame,” identifying him as a Senegalese national.
The post rapidly accumulated hundreds of thousands of views.
A community note was subsequently attached to the post, reading:
“Khaby Lame maintains residence in Italy, where he received citizenship in 2022. ICE, being a U.S. agency, lacks authority to deport individuals not residing in the USA.”
Multiple social media users attempted to authenticate Louden’s screenshot but found no matches. Searches using various combinations of Lame’s name and the A-number shown in the screenshot yielded no results in ICE’s database. As reported by Men’s Journal, these discrepancies raised further questions about the viral post’s legitimacy.
Lame, who was born in Senegal and relocated to Italy as a child, obtained Italian citizenship in 2022. At 25, he ranks among the world’s most-followed content creators, celebrated for his silent reaction videos and comedic content.
According to earlier reporting by KRON4, Lame received his Italian citizenship when he turned 20 and currently holds the position of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. His recent U.S. engagements have included filming a television series documenting his house-hunting journey and making an appearance at the 2025 Met Gala in New York.
While Italian nationals can visit the United States for up to 90 days through the Visa Waiver Program, ICE has remained tight-lipped about the specific visa infraction that resulted in Lame’s temporary detention.
Although the incident appears to have been resolved without lasting implications, it highlights the current administration’s rigorous enforcement of immigration policies under President Trump, which maintains a strong focus on visa compliance monitoring and deportation proceedings.
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