U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took rapper 21 Savage into custody in Atlanta this weekend, alleging he is in the United States unlawfully. They are reportedly threatening him with possible deportation.
According to The New York Times, ICE agents claim that 21 Savage, real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, is a U.K. national who came to the U.S. in 2005 at age 12. He entered the country legally on a one year visa, ICE said, but that visa has since expired:
The New York Times says 21 Savage “faces deportation proceedings and is expected to appear before a federal immigration judge,” though his spokesperson did not respond to the paper’s request for comment.
Why ICE decided to arrest 21 Savage now is unclear, though agents appear to be terrorizing Atlanta in advance of the Super Bowl:
Free 21 Savage.