The family of a Utah concert violinist who was detained by federal immigration officials last week was optimistic Thursday that he could be released at any moment after he posted a $25,000 bond.
John Shin, a 37-year-old Korean from Salt Lake City, was detained by immigration authorities for not having legal authorization to be in the country.
Shin was brought to the United States as a child by his father and had his temporary legal status revoked after an impaired driving ticket in 2019. He got married to an American in 2021, but hadn’t filed paperwork for a visa because the couple wasn’t making enough money, said his wife, Danae Snow.
Shin was detained Aug. 27 while attempting to do some contract work on a cell phone tower at Fort Carson Army Base south of Colorado Springs.
At a hearing earlier this week at the GEO immigrant detention facility, Shin appeared in ICE garb and waved off Korean interpreters because he speaks English.
He was granted a money bond, but, at the time, federal government attorneys reserved the right to appeal that. Snow said on Thursday that she received word that they weren’t going to appeal the bond after all and his bond payment was processed.
The posting of bond changes nothing about his immigration case. Shin still faces removal proceedings and possible deportation. His lawyers filed a request for dismissal and Snow has also filed a petition for a visa since they are married.
Shin’s release will allow him to continue that effort while free.
The family has raised $79,000 through a GoFundMe site to help with the legal costs and the bond.
“His release should be any minute now,” Snow said on Thursday. “I feel elated. This is such a win for us and we cannot wait to get him back home.”
