Khaby Lame, the TikTok star who was arrested by ICE.

The TikToker with the most followers has faced the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The agency announced that it detained the Italian Khabane Lame, better known as Khaby, at an airport in the United States after he violated immigration laws, specifically his tourist visa.

In an ICE statement, it was announced that “ICE detained Seringe Khabane Lame, 25, a citizen of Italy, on June 6 at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, for immigration violations.” He was subsequently held at the Henderson Detention Center before being released to leave the United States voluntarily.

According to the statement, Lame entered the U.S. on April 30 and “stayed longer than allowed by his visa.” As a result, he was deemed an illegal immigrant and therefore detained.

The content creator has not made any statements regarding the incident and has not posted anything related to his detention on social media. Because his arrest occurred at an airport, it is believed that the Italian citizen was attempting to leave the country legally despite his visa already having expired. Lame agreed to voluntarily leave the country.

What are the consequences?

People who violate the terms of their visas may face difficulties when trying to re-enter the United States, especially under Donald Trump’s new immigration policy. Those who have broken the law could be banned or have trouble applying for other visas or adjusting their status.

Who is Khaby Lame?

Khabane Khaby Lame is an Italian and Senegalese influencer known for his TikTok videos where he silently mocks other content. He is currently the most-followed user on TikTok (with over 162 million followers) and has accumulated more than 2 billion likes. He also has a large following on YouTube and other social networks.

The creator began posting videos on TikTok after being laid off due to the COVID pandemic. He gained recognition after uploading “duet” videos to imitate supposed “life hacks” where he performs the same action but in a simpler way. His silence in the videos makes him an accessible creator for people around the world, regardless of the language they speak.

His success has led him to participate in various advertising campaigns for luxury brands like Hugo Boss, which he works with as an ambassador. In 2022, he was included in Fortune’s “40 Under 40” and Forbes’ “30 Under 30.” He has also participated in television programs, movies, and collaborated with the Fortnite Battle Royale video game. Currently, he is a “goodwill ambassador” for UNICEF.

When he was one year old, his parents moved from Senegal to Italy. In 2022, he was granted Italian citizenship, largely due to the success and fame he has achieved.