According to the Associated Press, 21 Savage, whose real name is She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, has cleared every legal hurdle since his release from ICE custody ten days after his arrest.
On Oct. 6, his attorney, Charles Kuck, said, “His immigration court proceedings have now been terminated, and he is a lawful permanent resident of the United States with the freedom to travel internationally.”
In 2019, 21 Savage was detained by ICE agents in Georgia after a targeted operation was launched against the rapper due to his expired visa. Ben-Joseph immigrated to America from London with his mother at 7, and he said in a with Good Morning America that same year that the way immigration policy is enforced is broken.
“I don’t think the policy is broken. I feel like the way they enforce the policy is broken,” Ben-Joseph said. “I’ve been here …19 years, this is all I know,” the then 26-year-old rapper said. “I don’t feel like you should be arrested and put in a place where a murderer would be for just being in the country too long.”
On Oct. 7, 21, Savage posted a video using the platform’s Reel feature to his Instagram account. It featured clips of the rapper’s career and early childhood life, set to Skylar Grey’s Coming Home.
According to USA Today, a press release accompanying the video said, “This marks a milestone for the superstar as he will soon perform for the first time in London. More information to follow soon.”
Recently, the rapper appeared in Canada alongside his frequent collaborator, Drake, which marked the first time that 21 Savage performed outside of the United States since his arrest and detention by ICE. 21 Savage’s tour with Drake wrapped up on Sept. 5 with a stop in Glendale, Arizona.
According to the USCIS website, obtaining a visa is long and arduous when a person initially immigrates to the United States, requiring many steps before issuing a visa or green card. In the case of the British rapper, he was eligible for an adjustment of status, “the process that you can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status (also known as applying for a green card) when you are present in the United States. This means that you may get a Green Card without having to return to your home country to complete visa processing.”
Immigration services confirmed that it could take up to three months for a permanent resident card to be issued after someone applying for one has paid their immigrant visa fee.
