The agency said 21 Savage is a British national and entered the country illegally in 2005.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested the rapper 21 Savage on Sunday, alleging the British-born rapper has been in the U.S. illegally for more than a decade.
ICE said it arrested the rapper, whose real name is Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, during a targeted operation in the metro Atlanta area early Sunday morning. The agency said 21 Savage is a British national and entered the country legally in 2005, remaining in the U.S. after his nonimmigrant visa expired a year later. He was also convicted of felony drug charges in Georgia in 2014, which ICE cited as part of his arrest.
ICE said 21 Savage is in custody in Georgia and has been placed into removal proceedings in federal immigration courts.
"We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding," said Dina LaPolt, 21 Savage's attorney, who called him "a role model to the young people in the country."
21 Savage is one of the prominent rappers in Atlanta's hip-hop scene and performed at the Super Bowl Music Fest on Thursday. His arrest was announced just hours before the Super Bowl kicks off at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This story was originally published by CBS News on Feb.3 at 4:14 p.m. ET.
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