Barkhad Abdi Of ‘Captain Phillips’ Fame Draws Attention Of Immigration Officials After Int’l Travel; Oscar Nominee & Green Card Holder Flagged For 2012 Drug Arrest

Barkhad Abdi of “Captain Phillips,” who gained international acclaim for his role as a Somali pirate in the Best Picture Oscar nominee was stopped briefly by a U.S. customs official in February. He was returning to the U.S. after accepting an award for his performance in the film. The green card holder was flagged for a 2012 drug arrest.

According to the Star Tribune, citing a local federal source familiar with the case, reported that the 28-year-old actor is a U.S. permanent resident, but several criminal offenses have caused the actor to be flagged when he was returning to the States.

Abdi faces a possible hearing this week with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which stopped him after he returned from accepting a BAFTA Award for Supporting Actor. BAFTA is the equivalent of the U.S.’s AMPAS, the award-giving body that organizes the Academy Awards.

One of his offenses included a drug arrest in August 2012 in Iowa for possession of marijuana and khat. The actor was also arrested on suspicion of credit card fraud in North Dakota and Minnesota. Though the arrests and offenses were all minor, any sort of drug offense can lead to immigration against him, noted the Star Tribune.

Abdi, who came to the U.S. from Somalia via Yemen when he was 14 years old Yemen, is unlikely to be deported. Federal immigration authorities have shown little appetite for making a move for any but the most serious offenses, the federal source said.

The newly-minted international actor is reported to be splitting time between Los Angeles and Minneapolis and could not be reached for comment. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection regional office in Detroit did not return requests for comment, Star Tribune reported.

Abdi answered an open call for the “Captain Phillips” role where he got casted as the lead Somali pirate. He has never denied his past. In February, the actor told the Daily Beast: “Our mistakes shape us. You make a mistake and it makes you a better person. You learn from it. I wasn’t a complete man.”

Star Tribune noted that It’s unclear if his current situation with the federal authorities will have an impact on some of his activities in Minnesota and in his acting career in Hollywood. Abdi is scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the Minnesota Twins home opener and is a pitchman for MNsure, the state’s health insurance marketplace.

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