I'm far to the left on immigration policy, but oy vey - is rhyming ability a criteria by which we are to consider granting people legal status in this country?
I find nothing in this man's situation that would suggest he be given special treatment for overstaying his visa. And I am disturbed by the smug, even self-righteous way that Mr Caramanica - instead of laying out a compelling argument for why an exception should be made for his subject - presumes that his readers are offended that their immigration laws might be properly enforced.
Quite simply, there are right and wrong ways to come to the US, and if you can't separate the two then it becomes very, very difficult to argue in favor of either.
12
@RDA "I'm far to the left on immigration policy." Really? Progressive stances usually include compassion. Look up its definition, Neocon.
3
I'm far to the left on immigration policy, but oy vey - is rhyming ability a criteria by which we are to consider granting people legal status in this country?
I find nothing in this man's situation that would suggest he be given special treatment for overstaying his visa. And I find the smug, even self-righteous way that Mr Caramanica - instead of laying out a compelling argument for why an exception should be made for his subject - presumes that his readers are offended that their immigration laws might be properly enforced.
Quite simply, there are right and wrong ways to come to the US, and if you can't separate the two then it becomes very, very difficult to argue in favor of either.
4
I am a long-time democrat and great grandson of the founder of the United Mine Workers who was an immigrant to this country. As a teenager, Mr. 21 Savage had the chance to get his immigration status legal. He chose to lead a life of crime instead. Our laws are purposely written to award those living an honest life in the US in turning that in to citizenship (my wife is an example) but those choosing to put a Glock in their back pants and put dozens of lives at risk for their own greed can find the exit.
14
The violent past doesn't really put him anywhere near the merits that the Dreamers have. Just because he is famous now should not excuse the past and the very solid arguments for deportationd
17
"And yet there is this other American promise, or threat, which is that all that comfort can be easily ripped away if it isn’t achieved in the correct fashion." American Threat?--Absolutely-- "Correct Fashion" is the key phrase here..........
3
The UK is great--he isn't going back to North Korea...sorry but the world just can't move here anymore on a whim. Failure to enforce our immigration laws brought us Trump. Think about it. A nation is entitled to enforce its borders.
10
Not that it really matters, but he is an illegal immigrant and should be deported. Let him be not only hip but legit and seek citizenship according to US immigration laws.
There, that wasn't so hard, was it?
11
"Is 21 Savage American? By any measurement other than citizenship, yes. He was born She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph in England in 1992. "
in other words, he is not an american
14
I don't care who he is or what he has done. He is still and illegal alien. So ICE must deport him. No favors or leniency should be granted to illegal aliens. They must be deported.
7
This is a rich guy who needs to go back to his country of origin. Sheesh. His life is not in danger, he is fleeing nothing. Not liking the law, is not a reason not to follow the law, for one in his situation.
8
Irony, is he is the perfect example that a border wall will do nothing! His family are British! They flew in, went back and forth. Then overstated their visa. He came as a child and had no idea! Kids seem like to tag along with the parents.
I lived near the Canadian Border. Only my Grandfather and his youngest brother were US citizens. The rest were born in Canada I still can’t figure out when they came across the border. Must have happened within a three year period of when one Brother was born in Canada. My Great Grandmother was Canadian, my Great Grandfather Scottish. They raised their children in the US, but insisted upon being buried in Canada. I used to be able to just go across the border to their graves. I don’t have a valid passport so I can’t visit them.
4
He has the wherewithal to move to the UK with his children and there is a good music scene there that he should have little trouble breaking into. Why does ICE not simply allow him to buy four first class tickets to London? Or perhaps a friend has a private jet that could take him. At this point he needs to leave, find comfortable lodgings in the UK, and fight his visa battles from there.
2
It’s the incarceration in this case which truly reveals America’s character. As others have also said, he hasn’t been hiding, but rather in the application process, and, coincidentally, publicly spoke out against Trump and the GOP’s family separation policy. What should alarm freedom-loving Americans is that our government was deployed in a deeply cynical away against a man for speaking up, and, in response, immigration law was applied in a deeply regressive way, incarceration as a penalty for overstaying a visa, which I believe is generally unusual and excessive, and especially so in the case of someone who is not a risk consideration.
12
@Colin We need to keep immigrants who go to school and don't commit crimes, undocumented or not. On the other hand, immigrants who commit felonies should be deported.
First, there will always be a more deserving immigrant desperate to replace a convicted felon.
Second, half the country wants to deport all undocumented immigrants, no matter how virtuous, and to reduce legal immigration. The only way the law will change to allow undocumented immigrants to stay is if some of those people are convinced that we are only going to allow non-criminals to remain.
Third - why would anyone want criminals to stay in our country? Good riddance.
How 21 Savage came to the attention of ICE is irrelevant. He is a convicted felon.
4
Savage has no valid defense here. The burden was on him when he came of age to resolve his immigration status through visas or a green card. He chose not to......Along with deportation comes a ten-year ban from the US including visits.
7
It"s always somebody's turn with ICE regardless of whether you're a Republican or Democrat someday this is why immigration reforms and acting as if its not my problem because I am American will one day come to your backyard.
4
@rasidi
First they came for the communists.......
3
What can I do to get a pass on laws I don't like?
17
At last, poetry matters.
1
"Is 21 Savage American? By any measurement other than citizenship, yes."
What?! By law, citizenship is the only measurement of nationality. No thanks to the Times for this piece of pretzel logic.
Combine this article with the recent op/ed arguing for open borders, and it appears the Times has an agenda it is not forthrightly disclosing to its readers.
21
He was not born in the US nor does he even have a green card. Apparently he overstayed his visa and needs to leave, voluntarily or not. If he wants to become an American that's fine. Let him follow the naturalization process. This article is the same old liberal, politically correct crap we keep hearing from the left these days. Sorry, he goes, willing or not.
13
It's a bit mind boggling why this guy didn't leave the US on his own accord and apply under a special ability visa to come back in. This visa/permanent residency is typically granted to artists (though I have heard of even advertising creatives getting).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_of_extraordinary_ability
One explanation, I suspect, is that he knew (or should have been advised) that deportation proceedings might happen, but decided to use it for the publicity factor. And voila, here's the NYT critic lauding his work. I had never heard of this guy before his 'case' got people fired up.
What's the worst that can happen to him now? That he continues rapping somewhere in the British commonwealth, or basically anywhere else in the world? Then sometime down the line he'll have his lawyers fix things and he'll be back in 5 years with an appropriate visa.
11
I suspect he feared he would never be allowed back because of his felony conviction. That is usually a death knell for visa applicants. And I have to admit that on the whole I do think felony convictions should weigh against visa applicants. He is clearly a talented artist on the rise and the UK is a nice place to live so if he is deported it is unfortunate but he will weather it better than most poorer and less successful detainees.
5
No matter where one might live, immigration is one area of life where one (or one's parents) needs to get the paperwork in ordnung.
She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph compounded his problem of not applying for DACA protection by stepping out of the country and returning by overstaying his visa - which is an easy catch. There are thousands of such people on either side of the pond having done the exact same thing. The result is the same, too, should they be caught; as they would be if they ever applied for benefits or needed medical attention.
Procrastinating, or being young, foolish, lethargic, famous, or otherwise, is no excuse to immigration officials anywhere on the planet; they are hard souls protecting the institution of country within the laws provided them.
5
Whatever. He was brought here as a child. Incarcerating him is grotesquely regressive and inhumane, not just absurdly unnecessary, and probably violates our own immigration laws. All of this knee-jerk “if he’s illegal, he’s gotta go, period” nonsense is predicated on some undocumented notion that undocumented immigrants are supposedly a big problem in America. No. The records show they are not more likely to commit crime than are Americans. No. They do not use public services more than do Americans (actually, if I recall, white Americans are more likely to be represented in higher proportions on the dole). Yes, the backbone of American strength, prosperity, and innovation, IS IMMIGRANTS WANTING TO COME HERE AND FINDING A LAND OF ECONOMIC MOBILITY, but not a place of this New Gilded Age where droves are gulled against their own interests into believing top-down self-serving propaganda that stuff like high marginal tax rates on high wealth are a slippery slope to totalitarian communism, nevermind their own American history which documents rather the success of such tax rates (paying your fair proportional share) in expanding the middle class and building a land of oppoortunity. No, no matter how much the wealthy and powerful gull their votes and send their money straight to the top with stuff like Trump’s GOP federal-deficit-exploding tax cuts for the 1% and corporations (rate reduced from 35% to 21% which they already often didn’t pay), nope, immigrants are the big problem!
12
@Colin He is a convicted felony drug dealer. Let a more deserving undocumented immigrant stay. A Dreamer, not a drug dealer.
6
Quite the riled up comment section today.
For those outraged who immediately categorize rap as "misogynistic," and dismiss the circumstances - we should note that he came to the United States as a seven year old. His visa then expired in 2006, at the age of 14. He spent just as long in the United States as he did in Britain, and during more formative years. Was he supposed to surrender to authorities that he overstayed his visa when he was 14?
He's gone on to live a life that is all too common for thousands of young men in the United States: impoverished and a victim of violence in his community. He's since taken steps to secure a proper visa, now that he has come of an appropriate age.
Spare me the outrage, only because you don't like the hip-hop community or the way its music sounds.
33
@Brian McDonagh
The visa was obtained in 2005.
i'm not sure how that worked out as he'd been here since 99.
4
@Brian McDonagh: you conveniently left out the inconvenient fact that he’s a convicted felon. Do you feel that his involvement in the hip hop community excuses this?
6
He's a Visa overstayer with a felony conviction. If we're going to enforce the immigration laws equally, and not just against Hispanics, he has to be deported.
17
"It ain't where you're from but where you pay rent."
Immigration Services taking a positive part out of Atlanta, kind of feels like shooting ourselves in the foot.
5
@Jack
Wasn't he convicted of a felony back in 2014?
7
I'm very sympathetic to immigrants, and would like to see the Dreamers have a path to citizenship, etc. But 21 Savage is here illegally, and has a long criminal history. For him to apply for the special visa for crime victims reminds me of the story of a murderer asking for leniency after killing his parents because he is an orphan.
This story indulges in stereotypes of the British as well as the Americans. I think he should be deported.
27
A father separated from his 3 young children. Locked down 23 hours a day. While a real criminal sits in the White House.
I shed a tear for our country.
12
People of color become adults and criminals starting at age 7. That's the age when this person allegedly came to the US and overstayed his visa.
No one in the "law must be obeyed" brigqde is getting bent out of shape over Melania Trump.
Things that make you go hmmm.
9
@Dario
While racism is a real thing, the US government banned Charlie Chaplin and attempted to deport John Lennon, and both of these men were white.
1
It ain't like Atlanta gonna miss another rapper ,especially a milly vanilly stand in who ain't even from there.Plenty of social issues to miscconstrue back home in England ,just they ain't listening.
9
@Meighley - Thank you for this. There have been plenty of opportunities to deport Savage over the years. He hasn't exactly been in hiding, after all. The fact that ICE is making an example of him, knowing of his huge following and the publicity it is receiving, because he chose to speak out against the family separation policy, is suspect and despicable. We can debate the misogyny, violence etc. of his style of rap lyrics all day, but in this case, it is beside the point. Could it be that he will become an unlikely spokesperson for the Dreamers? And wouldn't that be something? Someone as American as 21 Savage, the face and sound of much of our youth, not someone from a "sh*thole country", but England! He has a huge audience. They are watching this closely and taking notes.
5
@Laura Burt You are dismissing the whole message in his lyrics just because you say they are beside the point? Au contraire, his behavior here IS the point. And he has had plenty of opportunity to attempt to be here illegally. I have plenty of US citizens in my neighborhood who accomplished their change to citizenship here as Hmong community members who did it in 2-5 years.
The diversionary strategy of saying we have a criminal in the White House or that plenty of other criminals exist here is not party to this discussion.
Whether you know him, like him, like his music, or like the fact he is a successful businessman has no bearing. The size of his audience has nothing to do with his legal standing.
3
Having managed to grow up and prevail under such dismal conditions he deserves honorary American citizenship
7
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time
12
By any measurement other than citizenship? What kind of Orwellian doublespeak is that?
16
Advocating for gun control? Oh boy he’s out. That won’t do in this era; right up the with being a card carrying ISIS member.
5
He was born in Britain. His H4 visa expired years ago. Obviously he's here illegally. What's all the brouhaha about?
19
He's also a convicted felon. He should have been deported years ago. Where do we only deport Hispanic illegal immigrants?
7
Dindu nuffin.
I love how the paper of record calls for sympathy and assistance to a millionaire drug dealing felon.
One day there are going to be zero incentives to be an American and a lot of incentives to be illegal.
12
So born in 1992, brought here at age 7, left and returned at age 12, visa expired in 2013 - so he overstayed twice. Then reportedly, a felony?
I am so sorry it is inconvenient for people to follow the rules, but really that's no excuse.
Time to go.
People can create rap music anywhere in the world.
31
@Margo
Dude needs to get the same immigration lawyers as Mick, Keith, Ozzy, and the Gallagher brothers. Fixed.
2
@Micheal Ray Richardson AND Melania brought here on a "genius visa" (no kidding!) and her family who was bumped up to the front of the line with no special skills.
2
But as far as we know Melania and her parents did not deal drugs and commit felonies. It is heartening that this man has turned a corner and is now a socially responsible human being but he can continue his career and good deeds in the UK.
1
If he is not in the country legally, he has to go. Period. No special treatment for British citizenship or because he came here as a child, or because he is famous. He should be treated the same as most of the other illegals. We are more than happy to host immigrants and eventually welcome many of them into the US family, but they need to come in legally. We have processes and limitations. No policy choice is unlimited-- not even immigration.
39
@Matt
Please keep in mind that he learned of his status, and was actively working to counteract it-he had applied for a new visa
4
@Matt - Melania Trump worked, illegally, on a tourist visa. Does she have to go too?
2
@Paul Adams
If Melanie Trump is in the country illegally, she has to leave, yes.
2
Why were removal procedures not initiated against him back in 2014 when he was convicted of a felony? His illegal status would have been known then.
37
@Andrea G The answer is that these were state proceedings, and states have no obligation to address citizenship issues or to inform the federal government of the immigration status of criminals who have been convicted in their court system. In fact, many woke states have passed laws that prevent their criminal justice system from doing so. So that's almost certainly why this felon was allowed to stay in the US and maintain his fraudulent association with America.
10
Obama, a Democrat, was President then. Maybe we need an investigation!
3
Because Democrats can’t stand the thought of deporting ANYONE. Well, maybe members of trumps family. We’ve reached a point where it’s “racism” and “xenophobia” to even suggest enforcing any immigration law against even criminals.
3
I would argue that a great deal of American music and experience has deep British roots.
7
If you know anything about our legal immigration system, factors like "potential contribution to society" are not exactly given a lot of weight once you demonstrate you aren't indigent.
It's mostly about family sponsorship and family connections.
And it does need to be reformed to prioritize skills, language and education.
8
He overstayed a visa. That is all that is needed to deport him back to the UK.
His heartbroken fans can still enjoy his music, he has the finances to take his family with him (unlike many in this country illegally who have US born kids) and the US loses a felon.
Why are we upset about this?
79
@B Dawson - Melania Trump worked, illegally, on a tourist visa. ICE at the White House?
1
A crime is a crime. Jay Z is acting like certain crimes don't matter?!? He overstayed a VISA so he is in this country illegally.........which is a federal crime. 21 Savage should have to face the music like everyone else that commits crimes. If you don't commit crimes you will never have to worry about being put in jail or deported. Bye.
45
@Mike S
Trump acts like certain crimes don't matter.
6
@Mike S Unwanted presence (overstaying a visa) is NOT a federal crime, it is a civil one. Crossing the border illegally is a federal crime, or smuggling in undocumented immigrants.
2
@Meighley Mueller is working on that.
1
Let's hope the laws are followed and this preacher of violence is permanently deported.
34
The good part about this situation is the 21 Savage has money. Most illegal immigrants do not. This guy did not jump a wall to get here, he flew in. The other part here is that he was brought in as a child and could be considered a dreamer. Doing away with the dreamer status is a republican thing and this case harms a person who is making a positive contribution to his community. Dreamers should be protected under the law and I believe if he has good lawyers he can make this go away.
12
@Peter ... He is not a Dreamer, because he has a criminal history -- and it's a long one.
8
@Peter please look up "Red Opps" by 21 Savage and tell me he is making a "positive contribution to his community."
1
You can't have DACA status if you have a criminal conviction. He needs to be deported. Or do we only deport Hispanics?
To judge from his use of 'elegiac' to describe young Savage in this pompous review, the critic easily qualifies as rappy;
but he is clearly ignorant of the criteria for U.S. citizenship. And for whom is he reecommending a pass? A convicted felon and repulsive misogynist.
Really?
35
21 Savage should be a DACA recipient. He's a pretty text book case. Child brought to America legally. Lost immigration status as a minor. The illegality of overstaying his visa should fall to his parents.
However, Abraham-Joseph dropped out of high school and committed a felony. Both offenses disqualify him from DACA benefits. Assuming of course DACA even survives the current court challenges.
Abraham-Joseph has an uphill battle here. His lawyers have a point about the seemingly arbitrary arrest date. However, I don't think this will end well for him in court. He's most likely headed back to England. The question is whether the court will grant him a waiver to travel in the US for business. I'm assuming his music career mostly relies on the US market. I think business is a valid argument.
Lesson: Finish school, don't commit felonies, and tell your citizen friends not to vote for Trump.
27
Shouldn't he have already applied for that? It could be too late for him.
5
@Andy What does Trump have to do with this?
4
@Moira Rogow
Even if 21 Savage were eligible for DACA, DACA is currently rescinded. That's Trump's policy currently pending court proceedings. That's why Trump is relevant to the conversation.
2
'Went through some things, but I couldn't imagine my kids stuck at the border.'
This line line is apparently very reflective, artistic.
I'm getting old.
13
@seamus
Perhaps you lack empathy.
21 Savage may be an American by any other measurement but citizenship but only citizenship makes a person an American. 21 Savage is British.
53
It is not just that She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph is an illegal immigrant and a convicted felon. Take a moment online to read the lyrics of his "songs". How can anyone, black or white - but especially black females - still be buying and supporting 20 years later a lowest of the low garbage industry that is into its 2nd generation of misogynist males whose vile message is utterly predicated on violence and degradation of all females?
70
The loony Left. He self-identifies as American so he is.
24
@shreir Hi. If you grew up in a country since you were in the first grade, wouldn't you identify as a member of that country? I'm at a loss as to how that's loony. Maybe you just like the alliteration?
2
Those advocating for a border wall know that over half of "illegals" in this country have overstayed visa's, and know that a two pronged approach is needed. In addition to a physical barrier we also need to deport those who have overstayed their visas's. To start with criminals first would be an excellent first step. This is one candidate that should be among the first to go. I would assume he can find work as a rapper in his home country as well.
27
Could this be a bum rap?
12
Neither the Right nor the Left wants to admit that ‘undocumented’ workers drive down wages for US workers at the bottom. I doubt that applies to rap stars. We need to address the fact that US citizens at the bottom are negatively impacted by unskilled, undocumented workers driving down wages.
We want to take care of Dreamers, saying that it isn’t their fault they were raised in this country and know no other. But how do we end that? Do we legalize dreamers for generations to come?
US low-wage workers will clean your hotels, mow your lawns and pick tomatoes. All we need do is improve working conditions and raise wages. I understand why the Right doesn’t like that idea, but why the Left ignores US workers in favor of people from other lands is puzzling. US citizens at the bottom are being terribly hurt by low wage, undocumented workers driving down wages and working conditions. And neither side seems to give a damn.
17
The dude ain't no American.
20
@Mike Because....he was born in a different country? I mean, yes, that's a criteria for citizenship, but it seems pretty narrow. If you've lived here most of your life, came here as a child, and are a large part of an American artistic community, it seems like you would feel pretty American.
2
@CCT ... There are only two ways to be a citizen. Be born a citizen, or become a naturalized citizen. Not a "narrow" outlook at all. It's the very definition of the world. Citizenship is not a "feeling." It is a legal status.
12
@ Mike
What makes you American then? What tribe are you?
While the jokes and memes are hilarious, 21 arrest shines an even larger spot light on the problems ICE and due process. The fact that he has a pending U Visa means that he has never tried to hide the fact that he needs legal status and and is requesting it legally. What a waste of time and resources, the Atlanta PD should be ashamed of handing him over to ICE with no actual charges.
15
The article didn’t detail his violent past, or interview his victims. It did provide details and commentary about the evolution of his hip-hop style. But can’t he perform back in the U.K.?
35
Immigration laws are in place for a reason, without them there would be chaos. There isn't a loophole that gives amnesty if you become rich or famous.
44
And I thought the Times didn't support "American Exceptionalism". The claim here seems to be that no foreigner could possibly have a style similar to an American.
11
I don't get the controversy. Because he allowed his status to lapse he is an illegal alien. Period. What about all of the other Black people who are illegal aliens? Are they less important? Should they not want to be reunited with family? Why is Jay-Z not fighting for all of the others? And are they all better than the Hispanic, Indian, Asian, etc., illegal populations?
This should not be news. There is no controversy here.
27
Come on people. Is it really his fault his mother brought him here when he 7? What do you think at 9 he should have woken up and flown ho,e himself? What are you talking about he overstayed his visa and well, the law is the law. He was here since he was 7. It’s not his fault. Just like all the other kids under 10 brought here against their will. He’s a dreamer and deserves to stay. He’s turned his life around and is trying to make contributions to society. There’s no ‘overstaying his visa’. He went to see some family for a few weeks in the UK once years ago and then came back to where he was living in Atlanta. That’s just called going home since he was taken out of Britain when he was SEVEN.
29
@Electroman72
He knew he had paperwork. Story over.
4
Where has Black Lives Matter been the last two years, as black and brown kids were forcibly ripped from their parents & others being mistreated by ICE? Do they only care about celebrities? I'm sorry but when I get a petition or read a quote from JayZ, all I can think of is the thousands of kids in detention who are much, much worse off than 21 Savage -- and who is speaking up for them? Few celebrities, apparently.
19
This is nothing new. John Lennon, despite his incredible fame, went through hardship with US immigration authorities, and was investigated for being a leftist. Roman Polanski got to experience the long arm of American law enforcement even though his status is still in limbo.
7
@Eugene Roman Polanski raped a child.
1
@Eugene
Charlie Chaplin was thought to be a Communist and when he visited London, the US revoked his re-entry permit.
1
Just because he looks, sounds, and acts like he grew up in Atlanta doesn’t make 21 Savage any more of an American than a Mexican child who came to the US as a seven year old and grew up in a Mexican neighborhood in Los Angeles. When the Mexican is put into deportation proceedings most people react with a shrug. That’s the implicit bias at work, the idea that Latinos can never be truly American.
9
Shades of John Lennon's battle of the 1970's
6
@Peggy
Lennon has talent, and was not misogynistic.
He was persecuted for his anti-war views.
1
Decent rapper but he overstayed his VISA and was charged with a felony. Seens like the system is working.
17
@Scott He was seven years old when his mom brought him here. He was a child.
1
@Forsythia715 But he left the USA for the UK and returned on a non-immigrant visa which he overstayed thus making him a deportable alien. He also was convicted of a felony adding on to his deportation charges. Hopefully he will be gone real soon. Never to return.
3
@Donald
He was convicted of drug charges which were expunged. He returned to the US as a CHILD. He also made attempts to adjust his status.
1
This biased article glosses over his criminal past. He is not an asset to this country and he is here illegally. Thank you, ICE.
42
How is it glossed over? It is stated that he had a felony drug conviction which was expunged. No further convictions. What is not clear is why he was not held for deportation in 2014. He is here illegally because he was brought as a 7 year-old, went to England to visit for a month when he was about 12, re-entered legally, while still a minor, then overstayed. Whether he is an asset is certainly debatable, but his crime is discussed in the article, and he is not a felon. I see no bias in the reporting.
2
That he overstayed his visa isn't nearly as disturbing as the fact that the Trump administration targeted him after he appeared on national television and was critical of the family separation policy, which kind of makes him a hero in my eyes. That policy was the cruelest most despicable thing the U.S. has ever openly and shamelessly done. We will never forget those children who are now lost and orphans at worst, and traumatized needlessly at best.
34
@Meighley
John Lennon found out the same thing when he made Nixon mad, but he didn't get popped for a felony and didn't overstay his visa.
3
Democrats claim, probably correctly, that most people in the US illegally just overstayed their Visas. A border wall won’t prevent that behavior. So why are Democrats opposed to enforcing deportation of persons who have illegally overstayed their Visas? Maybe readers can list countries that require Visas and allow, without consequences, people to overstay. Surely the US needs to adopt that way of thinking.
26
If you're not going to deport somebody who intentionally overstayed his visa and then was convicted of a felony, because he's famous, there's no point in deporting anyone at all. How fair is that to immigrants who work hard and follow the rules?
Unfortunately many Democrats these days will say, "We shouldn't deport anyone at all." That extremist position -- open borders -- is not as popular with the population at large as they think.
If you're going to deport anyone, this guy should be high on the list.
33
@Wolf
How old was he when he intentionally overstayed his visa? Was he a minor?
12
@Cyril
He was a minor but then left the US for a month, returning on a separate visa. He has overstayed his second visa. He is aware that he has no legal status in the US and hired a lawyer to correct that. However, if you are not in the US on a valid visa, then you cannot stay in the US while your application is pending. The government takes into account if you are following US laws when requesting permanent residency.
8
@Wolf wrote “- open borders -- is not as popular with the population at large as they think.”
Yes. In fact ‘open borders’, ‘abolish ICE’ and conflating illegal immigrants with legitimate ones is going to cost the Dems (I’m one) in 2020.
3