EXCLUSIVE
21 Savage[1] may be deported, and not because he's ineligible to stay in the United States ... it's because of Donald Trump[2].
We now understand MOST of what went down with 21's arrest and looming deportation. Here's how it goes.
Sources directly connected to the case tell TMZ ... the decision to arrest and deport[3] 21 Savage was made months ago by the Atlanta bureau of ICE. At that time, ICE decided it would arrest Savage and hold him without bond until he could be deported.
As for why ICE wanted Savage held without bond, we've learned they incorrectly believed 21 had a felony conviction, which would have disqualified him from being able to post bond. As we reported, 21's 2014 drug conviction was vacated and sealed in the Fall -- which effectively erases it -- but court records weren't updated, so all ICE saw was the conviction.
Now, this is super weird ... we've learned just days ago ICE headquarters in Washington D.C. got involved in the case, and when they did, ICE had already figured out 21 was not a felon and therefore should have been released on bond. Our sources say ICE in D.C. IGNORED the fact that the conviction was erased and doubled down[4], saying 21 should NOT be released. No one we've spoken to has any idea why D.C. took such a position when it was not supported by the facts.
Keep reading ... we're getting to Trump.
We've confirmed ICE was on the scene with various other local and federal law enforcement agencies when 21 was arrested on Super Bowl Sunday with a plan to arrest him. We're told ATF first took