Jamaican dancehall artiste Rygin King detained by ICE
Toriann Ellis / Our Today
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Jamaican dancehall artiste Rygin King has been detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to information listed on the agency’s official website.
Rygin King, whose given name is Matthew Smith, was reportedly taken into custody on Monday. However, no further details have been provided regarding the circumstances surrounding his detention, and US immigration authorities have not publicly disclosed the reason for his custody.
The entertainer is not the only Jamaican dancehall act recently held by ICE.
Hillside artiste Chronic Law has been in US immigration custody since January. His name appeared on ICE’s detainee locator following his detention, though authorities did not initially disclose the reason.
Subsequent reports indicated that Chronic Law was being held at a Florida detention facility commonly referred to as “Alligator Alcatraz,” located in Ochopee within the Everglades region. The facility forms part of the South Florida detention complex used for federal immigration detainees.
Another Jamaican dancehall artiste, Squash, was also briefly held by ICE last year. He later pleaded guilty to gun possession charges in Florida and was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison.
As of publication, no official statement has been issued by Rygin King’s representatives, and it remains unclear how long he may remain in custody or whether removal proceedings have been initiated.
The situation remains developing.
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