J Swift, producer of classics from the seminal West Coast record Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, has been barred from entering the United States after a tour stop in Vancouver, Canada on January 15. A GoFundMe page hopes to raise $25,000 for legal fees to fight the case. Swift, born Juan Martinez in Madrid, has resided in the US since 1974 as a Legal Permanent Resident. Via the fundraiser:
Prior to the concert in Vancouver J-Sw!ft had a ruling for deportation on August 8, 2014 due to a prior felony conviction. On August 15, 2014 his legal rep filed an appeal against that ruling. While fighting his depotation J-Sw!ft toured nine countries in Europe with no incidence. But returning from Vancouer Canada on January 15, 2015 was a different story. Although his deportation case is on appeal and even though his papers state he's clear for travel til April 15, 2015, US Customs still denied him entry into US. He is now fighting to prove his appeal allows him to travel outside of the US so that he can return to the US and continue fighting the appeal.