Earlier this year 21 Savages was held in a federal immigration detention center for an expired visa. Since his release, he has been using his platform to help speak for those who experience immigrant injustice.
According to the Associated Press, on Thursday, 21 was honored by National Immigration Law Center (NILC) for being a spokesperson for immigrant justice, and before receiving his award, he expressed how children who come into this country illegally should automatically become citizens.
He said, “When you’re a child, you don’t know what’s going on. Now, you grow up and got to figure it out. Can’t get a job. Can’t get a license. I’m one of the lucky ones who became successful. It’s a lot of people who can’t.”
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He talked about his personal experienced and continued, “When you ain’t got no choice, you should be exempt. It’s not like I was 30, woke up and moved over here. I’ve been here since I was like 7 or 8, probably younger than that. I didn’t know anything about visas and all that. I just knew we were moving to a new place.”
“I feel like we should be exempt. I feel like we should automatically become citizens,” said 21.
Patrisse Cullors, who also helped honor 21 with his award added, “Up until the moment when he was arrested, there wasn’t a nationally or public conversation about black immigrants. The conversation primarily revolved around Latinx immigrants. His detention really pushed a national conversation and it made us talk about what’s happening with black people who are undocumented. All the black people in America aren’t just citizens.”
21 spent 10 days in the detention center before being released.
As we previously reported, back in June, 21 Savage donated $25,000 to help detained immigrants with legal counsel.
Roommates, what are your thoughts?
Source: https://www.apnews.com/9304bc1cb0ae46f9883a07ca623f8f7e
