Wait, 21 Savage was arrested by… ICE?
With Savage’s British origins unknown to most fans, the news of U.S. Immigration arresting the 26-year-old rapper on February 3rd, shocked the internet.
Born She’yaa Bin Abrahama-Jospeoph in the United Kingdom, the rap star entered the U.S. legally in 2004 at the age of 7 and has been immersed in the Atlanta rap scene since 2013.
However, with his parents failing to renew his Visa in 2006, 21 Savage has been undocumented since. In an interview with ABC News, the rapper explained, “I didn’t know what a Visa was, I was 7 when I first came here. I knew I wasn’t born here, but I didn’t know what that meant as far as when I transitioned into an adult, how it was going to affect my life.”
But he’s been living in the country for over 20 years, why did it take ICE so long to become aware?
There are many possibilities as to why the arrest came so suddenly.
After Savage applied in 2017 for a U-Visa (non-immigrant visa for victims who have suffered from abuse), it is likely that ICE became more aware of the situation.
However, with the arrest coming just days following the release of the track “A lot,” in which Savage directly references today’s issues at the border, his legal team thinks this may have made him a target.
Additionally, the timing of the arrest occurred just one week before the Grammys in which Savage was set to perform and was nominated for awards. Some think Immigration officers were using him to send a message to other undocumented immigrants.
Where is Savage now?
Prior to being released on bond, Savage was held in deportation proceedings at ICE custody center in Georgia for 2 weeks. According to his manager Mega Meezy’s twitter, he was being held on lockdown for 23 hours of the day.
As of February 13th, 21 Savage was released from Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a $100,000 bond and seen boarding a private plane with his mother. However, with the heightened awareness of undocumented immigrants during the Trump era, his attorney is working tirelessly to save him from deportation.
“Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in this country, especially in Atlanta, Georgia, and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy,” his attorney explained in an interview with CNN.
As the ongoing fight for Savage’s citizenship continues, his legal team are not the only ones supporting the rapper. Shout outs at the Grammys, Metro Boomin sporting a “Free 21 Savage” jacket on Jimmy Fallon, and tweets from endless celebrities are just the beginning of the support being shown for the rapper.