It’s been five days since Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 21 Savage, and the rapper born She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph is still in custody in the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. The rapper’s visa expired in 2006, and ICE claims the artist is a British national who is eligible for deportation; he has had a U-visa application in process since 2017.
There has been an outpouring of support for Savage since his arrest, with dozens of celebrities sharing statements in solidarity with the rapper. R&B singer Miguel is the latest artist to speak out about the issue. On Thursday, he talked to TMZ about his views on 21’s case, and how the situation speaks to the country’s broken immigration system. “On the one hand, it’s really unfortunate,” he said. “[But]…it does help shed a light [on] it and help people understand that this isn’t just a specific ethnic group that’s affected by this. There’s people from all over the world who are here in the States, who are contributing to society, but you know, for whatever reason, haven’t been able to obtain all the proper documentation. He happens to be one of these unfortunate people,” he continued. “It does a good thing in shedding light [on] the issue. As much as we want to free 21 Savage – we send all our best energy to him and hope for the best for him – you know, looking on a positive side, it does help shed light [on] the thousands of people who don’t have a voice.”
Miguel has been vocal about immigration detention for some time; it isn’t the first time the R&B singer uses his platform to bring attention to these issues. In early January, he partnered with Brooklyn Defender Services, RAICES, and the ACLU of Southern California on a campaign aimed at raising funds for Central American immigrants’ legal fees.
Watch a full video of the singer’s statement below: