Social media influencer Khabane “Khaby” Lame was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Nevada on Friday over alleged immigration violations. ICE confirmed the incident in a statement to Men’s Journal, noting that Lame was later granted “voluntary departure” and has since left the country.
Political activist Bo Loudon was the first to share the news publicly, claiming in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Lame had been arrested in Las Vegas and was being held at the Henderson Detention Center.
“President Trump's ICE just officially arrested far-left TikToker, Khaby Lame, whom I reported as an illegal alien. According to the official DHS website, he's currently being held at the Henderson Detention Center and is in ICE CUSTODY,” Loudon wrote on X on Friday.
In a follow-up post, Loudon wrote, “Meet far-left TikTok star “Khaby Lame.” He's an ILLEGAL ALIEN! I've been working with the patriots at President Trump's DHS to make this happen. He was just ARRESTED in Vegas and is in ICE CUSTODY! To verify, go to ICE's Locator, type the A-number, and Senegal as country."
Loudon also shared what he claimed was a screenshot from ICE’s online detainee locator tool, listing Lame as in custody.
{{/usCountry}}Loudon also shared what he claimed was a screenshot from ICE’s online detainee locator tool, listing Lame as in custody.
{{/usCountry}}However, confusion spread online after Lame appeared active on social media. He posted multiple times on both his Instagram Story and TikTok page following the reports, leading fans to question the authenticity of the claims. Despite this, ICE confirmed the detention in a formal statement to Men’s Journal.
Following ICE's confirmation, Loudon posted again: "President Trump's ICE just announced the largest TikTok user, ILLEGAL ALIEN Khaby Lame, has "departed" the U.S. after being taken into custody. No one works faster than President Trump's administration."
Loudon also shared a screenshot of an email allegedly from an ICE spokesperson. The mail stated: "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. Lame entered the United States April 30 and overstayed the terms of his visa. Lame was granted voluntary departure June 6 and has since departed the U.S.”
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Who is Khabane ‘Khaby’ Lame?
Khabane “Khaby” Lame, 25, is a Senegalese-born Italian content creator and the most-followed individual on TikTok, boasting over 162 million followers as of 2025. He rose to international fame during the COVID-19 pandemic for his silent, humorous reactions to overcomplicated life hacks. Lame has since made it to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 lists.