Rapper 21 Savage (Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) a U.K. national was taken into custody on Sunday while in Atlanta for allegedly being in the country illegally. The 26-year-old’s lawyer said that the Immigration authorities are trying to “unnecessarily punish” and “intimidate” the musician into leaving the country, he also claims that Savage “never hid his immigration status” from the US Government. Is 21 Savage getting deported?
Is 21 Savage getting deported?
Rapper 21 Savage is facing immediate deportation and a possible 10-year ban from re-entering the country if what Immigration authorities allege is true. The Red Opps rapper’s lawyer, Charles Kuck, claims that there is no basis behind the accusations. He also claims that since 21 Savage has fathered US-born children he might be eligible to avoid deportation as well.
ICE lawyers claim that 21 Savage was brought to the US legally in 2005, and his visa expired in July of 2006. “As a minor, his family overstayed their work visas, and he, like almost two million other children, was left without legal status through no fault of his own,” Kuck stated.
Kuck also stated that Savage does have a pending U visa as the victim of a crime in 2017. “The Department of Homeland Security has known his address and his history since his filing for the U visa in 2017, yet they took no action against him until this past weekend.”
Kuck went into detail about the fact that 21 Savage’s detainment was based on “incorrect information about prior criminal charges” but did not specify what he was disputing about the charges. ICE is also refusing to release the rapper on bond.
Kuck claims that 21 Savage is not a flight risk or a danger to the community. “In fact, his contributions to local communities and schools that he grew up in are examples of the type of immigrant we want in America.” Kuck continued, “We and he will fight for his release, for his family, and his right to remain in our country.”
Other legal advisors are not as optimistic. “He’s in one of the most notorious jurisdictions for removal. Atlanta has a very high rate of denials on any type of discretion or relief”, said the President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association Anastasia Tonello adding that if ICE’s allegations are true, the 26-year-old will not have an easy case.
So is 21 Savage getting deported? Nothing is known yet regarding his case status, but it does seem like there is a good possibility.
