21 Savage was arrested by ICE agents in Atlanta this weekend and is now in deportation proceedings.
21 Savage, whose real name is Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a targeted operation. Officials claimed that the rapper is a United Kingdom citizen who overstayed his visa when he entered the United States in 2005. Savage’s lawyer, Dina LaPolt, says he is working on the case to have the “Bank Account” rapper freed.
“We are working diligently to got Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding,” LaPolt told TMZ. “Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in the country — especially in Atlanta, Georgia and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy.”
ICE released a statement confirming the arrest saying that 21 Savage didn’t just broke United States immigration laws, but also convicted for a felony drug charge in 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia.
“Mr. Abraham-Joseph initially entered the U.S. legally in July 2005, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa and he became unlawfully present in the U.S. when his visa expired in July 2006,” the statement reads. “In addition to being in violation of federal immigration law, Mr. Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia.”
21 Savage will now appear before an immigration judge who will determine his fate.
BREAKING- @ICEgov spokesman tells me @21savage was taken into custody by ICE. “His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa.” MORE COMING
— Nick Valencia (@CNNValencia) February 3, 2019
ICE spokesman Bryan Cox: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested unlawfully present United Kingdom national Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph AKA ‘21 Savage’ during a targeted operation with federal and local law enforcement partners early Sunday in metro Atlanta.” https://t.co/G0WlPymYIr
— Mark Winne (@MarkWinneWSB) February 3, 2019
