21 Savage has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Atlanta, according to a report from WSB-TV Atlanta. The Atlanta-based rapper, born Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph. According to breaking reports, an ICE spokesperson noted that “Mr. Abraham-Joseph was taken into ICE custody as he is unlawfully present in the U.S. and also a convicted felon. Mr. Abraham-Joseph initially entered the U.S. legally in July 2005, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa.”
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
ICE claims 21 Savage came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and stayed past the duration of his visa. However, he has previously asserted that he was born in Georgia.
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
In a statement to TMZ, the rapper’s attorney Dina LaPolt said, “We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding. 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.”
The story is currently developing.
[H/T WSB-TV]