Atlanta rapper 21 Savage is currently being 'intimidated' by ICE into leaving the United States, his lawyer revealed on Monday as he claims the musician never intentionally hid the fact he was actually from the United Kingdom.
21 Savage, whose real name is Sheyaa bin Abraham, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Sunday night and is being held in a federal immigration custody in Georgia and could be deported back to the UK.
The rapper's lawyer Charles H. Kuck hit out against the federal agency for trying to 'unnecessarily punish him' and trying to 'intimidate him into giving up his right to fight to remain in the United States', he told TMZ.
Kuck said the popular rapper is not a threat to his community, nor is he at flight risk and pointed to the musician's three U.S.-born children, saying they make him eligible for relief from deportation.
The attorney also claimed that 21 Savage never hid the fact he was in the country illegally, adding the rapper even applied for a U-Visa, which is for crime victims, in 2017 and the application is pending. Kuck says ICE was aware of the application at the time 21 Savage was detained.
Meanwhile, police claim the musician has been in the U.S. 'unlawfully' since 2006 - but in those 13 years he has made $8million from his hit rap songs, toured the world and was even prosecuted for a drugs offence in 2014.
His fans are in shock because they believed he was born and raised in Atlanta - due to his thick accent and has never denied claims he was born and raised in the city.
Earlier on Monday, MailOnline obtained the birth certificate that proved 21 Savage was born to British parents in London where he lived for 12 years until being taken to Atlanta by his mother Heather, who still speaks with a strong English accent.
21 Savage with his mother Heather, who was also born in Britain and is understood to have taken him to Atlanta when he was 12. The rapper's lawyer claimed on Monday that ICE was 'intimidating' the rapper into leaving the U.S.
The rapper's birth certificate shows he was born in London on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, to British parents
21 Savage brags on social media over his lavish lifestyle which sees him rubbing shoulders with US stars. He posed with a golden gun and multiple Ferraris on his Instagram page
Kuck said in a statement to TMZ: '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.'
The attorney told the outlet his client had applied for a U-Visa, which is a visa for a person who is a victim of a crime and makes them eligible for permanent residence.
Kuck said 21 Savage is eligible for this type of visa because of an incident that occurred in 2013, when 21 Savage was shot and his best friend Larry was killed.
The shooting left the star 'severely affected physically and mentally', Kuck said.
A day after news of his arrest broke, MailOnline revealed 21 Savage's birth certificate shows he was born Sheyaa bin Abraham on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, in east London, and his parents Heather Joseph and Kevin Emmons are also British.
It appears he moved to Atlanta with his mother when the couple separated and he is now one of America's rising rap stars with a string of hits including collaborations with megastar Drake, who recently bought him a Ferrari.
Last year his mother was interviewed at an event in the city where her son was handing out free books, shoes and clothes to poorer families at a 'back to school' event.
In a strong British accent she says: 'It's every mother's dream to see their son grow up to be such a thoughtful, loving boy. It's great that he is helping so many people because we were there once ourselves'.
The musician also has twin sisters in London, dance choreographers Kyra and Jayda, who have called his arrest 'fishy' but deleted childhood photos of the star growing up in the UK with one saying: 'I don't want him to get deported'.
But ICE officials have accused him of living a 'false' life in the US and say aged 12 he came legally to America in July 2005 - but his visa expired a year later and has lived there illegally ever since and said he was guilty of felony drug charges in October 2014.
An ICE spokesman said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'.
21 Savage has twin sisters, Kyra and Jayda (left), who believe his arrest is 'fishy' while his mother Heather (right) has lived with him in Atlanta since he was 12 and has a strong British accent
His sister Jayda has deleted all tweets about her older brother and said the situation is 'mad' and 'fishy' because he has lived in the US so long
The rap star's father Kevin Emmons boasted about his son's success on Facebook despite him overstaying his visa
UK authorities have said they are in contact with a lawyer for Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage, who is in federal immigration custody in the US as he is allegedly there illegally.
21 Savage has 'told everyone back home not to talk,' after he was detained by immigration officers in the US.
Speaking in London his cousin said today the rapper managed to get word back to Britain to friends and family to keep quiet.
His relative, named by friends as 'Tahir', arrived with three other men at a maisonette in Brixton, south London, believed to be home to the rap star's paternal family.
The cousin said: 'I am not saying anything. He told everybody at home not to talk.
'He has already sent the message round to everybody.'
'Tahir' was seen telling friends not to 'give away anything.'
One group member, who referred to himself as Cameron, said: 'He has been told not to say anything and it's not his business to tell.
'He is his cousin but it's not his place to say anything.'
They made reference to his dad 'Kevin'.
A spokesman for the British Foreign Office confirmed he is British and said: 'Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the US.'
Critics, including his family in Britain, have claimed his past was not a secret.
The rapper has got word back to relatives in the UK not to speak with officials if questioned over his life in Britain, MailOnline was told by family members
21 Savage is pictured as a young boy. His birth certificate reveals he was born in London, as were both of his parents and his family have said that his British background was not a secret
His sister Jayda tweeted today: 'Shaayaa moved to America when he was mad young, so he basically is American, he grew up there. I'm bare confused as to how they're trying to deport him though... He's been comfortable this whole time. This smells fishy'.
Fans also urged her to delete childhood photos of the star in London in case it hurt his case.
She said: 'I feel to delete my old tweets about him you know. I don't want him to get deported'.
His father Kevin, a council worker, was not at home today but a woman answered the intercom of his Surrey home and said: 'No sorry, we have no comment on that. Thank you, goodbye'.
His grandmother in Brixton also declined to comment and a cousin, Tahir, told MailOnline: 'He told everybody at home not to talk. He has already sent the message round to everybody'.
The rapper was only held as an illegal immigrant when Atlanta Police arrested his friend and fellow rapper Young Nudy, 21, after stopping the car they were travelling in together on Sunday night.
Officers held Nudy but also ran 21 Savage's date of birth through their system and he was then turned over to ICE who put him in custody pending an immigration hearing before a judge.
It appears he moved to the US legally with his British-born mother in July 2005 at the age of 12 while his father Kevin, from Brixton, stayed in the UK and has two daughters.
Last night ICE spokesman Bryan Cox says the rapper overstayed his US visa, which expired a year later in July 2006.
According to CNN he said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'.
He added: '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, who previously dated model Amber Rose, was arrested Sunday morning in the Atlanta area.
Mr Cox said the hip hop star is currently in ICE custody in Georgia and 'has been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts.' An immigration judge will determine future actions.
He has made millions after a string of number one albums and famously collaborated on the hit Sneakin' with his friend Drake, who recently bought him a Ferrari to say thanks.
Abraham-Joseph took the name 21 Savage after getting shot six times on his 21st birthday and has had various run-ins with police before his arrest for immigration offences.
He last performed in Atlanta on Thursday January 31 at the Super Bowl Music Fest at the State Farm Arena alongside Ludacris.
The rapper has three children in Atlanta and is frequently pictured at celebrity events with some of the biggest names in music in the USA
The rapper has also spoken publicly about smoking drugs after he posted images on his Instagram page which is followed by thousands of fans
The rapper's arrest came as a shock to his fans who believed 21 Savage, who previously dated Amber Rose (pictured together in 2017), was an Atlanta native born-and-bred
ICE spokesman said the rapper is a British citizen who entered the US legally in July 2005 at the age of 12 but overstayed his visa which expired in 2006
21 Savage (left of picture) with CIara and Ludacris at the Super Bowl Music Fest held in Georgia five days ago
The news will come as a shock to his fans, who considered the rapper an Atlanta local and born and brought up in DeKalb County, which covers the eastern suburbs of the city.
His birth was registered in the London borough of Newham in 1992.
The rapper and model was only arrested when his friend and rapper Young Nudy was stopped by police
Cox says Abraham-Joseph has been placed in deportation proceedings in federal immigration court and revealed Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in Georgia in October 2014.
'ICE will now await the outcome of his case before a federal immigration judge to determine future actions,' Cox said.
His attorney, Dina LaPolt, said she's working to get him out of custody.
LaPolt told TMZ: '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.'
Despite his success as a rapper he had a troubled upbringing and aged 12 reportedly was expelled from school and banned from all others in his area after being caught with a gun.
He was moved to a school outside Atlanta and after getting into more trouble sent to a youth detention centre in Georgia.
After his time in custody he returned to mainstream education he then dropped out and said later he was 'exhausted' by being excluded all the time.
He then joined a small street gang linked the the LA-based Bloods crime family and allegedly involved in robbery, grand theft auto and drug dealing.
Aged 19 he lost his best friend and 'right hand' man Larry in a shootout.
On his 21st birthday he was shot six times himself in a failed assassination attempt and that's why he took the rap name 21 Savage.
Around the same time his brother Johnny was shot dead during an attempted robbery.
Abraham-Joseph is nominated for two awards at next week's Grammys
In 2017 he launched his debut album Issa and in 2018 his second I Am > I Was went to the top of the Billboard 200 charts, leading to his Grammy nominations.
As his profile increased he started a movement called 'Guns Down, Paintballs Up' aimed at reducing gun violence.
But the head of the Detroit Police Department, James Craig, said although 'well-intentioned' it was also 'misguided' and the movement was then linked to several armed robberies and murders.
US rapper 21 Savage attends the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City
21 Savage, who had three children, has not responded to James Craig's assertion but reportedly paid for the funeral of T'Rhigi Diggs, three, who was killed in a drive-by last April.
Last June he was filmed at an Atlanta pool party brandishing a gun when a rival allegedly pulled a weapon. Abraham-Joseph later claimed he was holding it for a friend, according to TMZ.
Stars have shared their shock at 21 Savage's arrest and detainment while singer Demi Lovato has deleted her Twitter account after sharing a meme that poked fun at the suggestion that 21 Savage is British.
Lovato received backlash for the post - a picture of a person writing with a quill in candlelight with the words 'this how 21 Savage be writing his verses' - and she later wrote on Instagram that she 'wasn't laughing at anyone getting deported'.
'I know that's not a joke... not have I EVER laughed at that. The meme I posted/was talking about was of him being writing with a feather pen,' she said.
US rapper Killer Mike tweeted: 'My sincere hope is to see this young man who has made a way for himself allowed to stay and continue to prosper and grow his legacy.
'Sincere prayers for him and his family and team. @21savage Should be allowed to remain in this country.'
US rappers Lil Yachty and Meek Mill both tweeted similar messages calling for 21 Savage to be freed.
US social media personality Karen Civil tweeted: 'The 21 Savage arrest is beyond sad, he has been doing such incredible things in the community and changing the stigma of people perceive rappers to think/be.'
Despite being known worldwide as 21 Savage the star was born Sheyaa bin Abraham. As well as boasting about drug use the British born man also often poses with firearms
photo link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/atlanta-rapper-21-savage-is-being-intimidated-by-ice-into-leaving-the-u-s/
News Photo Atlanta rapper 21 Savage is being 'intimidated' by ICE into leaving the U.S.
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