Justin "Kutmah" McNultyThe LA Times is reporting that renowned DJ/Artist Justin "Kutmah" McNulty is being deported despite having lived in the United States for 22 years, since the age of 12. This is an unfortunate story as this is a person who has contributed to the arts and culture of the United States throughout his career. A far cry from the border jumping banditos that get most of the Customs Enforcement Agency's attention. That said, it's a lesson to all those who are in limbo to get their paperwork straight. Here's the skinny...

LA Times - Last week should have been an unimpeded celebration for the local beat scene, with the latest release from standard bearer Flying Lotus garnering raves from national and international press and further solidifying the community s reputation as having one of the world's most innovative and genre-bending electronic music scenes.

Instead, news broke Friday that agents from the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement division had detained Justin McNulty, a well-respected artist, producer and deejay, better known as Kutmah.

Widely considered one of the progenitors of the Los Angeles sound, McNulty, 34, was detained May 5 at his Los Angeles residence. After being interrogated at a downtown facility, he was transferred the following day to a federal immigration center in Chaparral, N.M., and since has been awaiting deportation to Great Britain, his country of birth.

Upon hearing the news, friends and family immediately began circulating an online petition at FreeKutmah.com, articulating the particulars of McNulty's plight and pressing for donations to help defray his legal expenses. Simultaneously, a team began working ceaselessly to enlist media and political support.

"We've been trying to get this on the radar of senators and other political figures. The clock's ticking, and we know that we don't have much very much time," said Daddy Kev, one of the founders of the Low End Theory, who described Kutmah as one of the best deejays to ever play the weekly club night.

"He's a selfless person who has spent countless hours doing philanthropic activities. This isn't someone who had a choice about moving here illegally. His mother moved him here when he was 12, and he's built an entire life here."

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