Rapper 21 Savage has gifted officials at the Southern Poverty Law Center $25,000 (£19,900) after helping him work through his immigration issues earlier this year (19).
The British national, real name She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in his adopted hometown of Atlanta, Georgia in February for overstaying his visa, which had expired in 2006.
He was threatened with deportation and detained for 10 days, and while his case is still ongoing, Savage has decided to show his appreciation to lawyers from the non-profit legal advocacy group, who had worked with him to straighten out the situation.
The No Heart star's attorney, Charles H. Kuck of Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC, shared the news of his donation in a statement issued on Friday (14Jun19).
"21 Savage is making this donation public because everyday Americans need to know that ICE is using civil immigration detention as a weapon against immigrants, many of whom, like 21 Savage, have relief from deportation and are able to fix their immigration status," Kuck explained in a press release.
"Creating oppressively adverse conditions of detention, like those in Irwin County, Georgia, far away from family and legal counsel, causes despair and hopelessness, and forces these men and women to give up on their immigration claims.
"The SPLC, through its Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI), stands at the front line of this fight and supporting this effort lets all Americans know that the Constitution which protects the least of us, protects all of us."
The funds will help SPLC lawyers provide representation to those unable to afford their own attorneys to fight their cases.
