In August 2025, Korean-born violinist John Shin was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while working a side job at Fort Carson military base in Colorado. The 37-year-old, who has performed with the Utah Symphony and Ballet West and holds a master's degree from the University of Utah, was shackled and transported to an ICE detention facility in Aurora, where he spent 17 days sleeping on yoga mats in a block housing 70–80 detainees.
Shin entered the United States legally at age 10 with his father and later received protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. He lost that status following a 2020 impaired-driving conviction after his father's death from cancer. Married to a U.S. citizen, Shin was in the process of obtaining permanent residency when immigration officers flagged him during a routine base check-in.
The detention sparked immediate mobilization from Utah's arts community. Musicians held daily vigils at the State Capitol, organized benefit concerts, and launched a crowdfunding campaign that helped cover his $25,000 bond. The response demonstrated how rapidly arts networks can transform an individual case into broader public debate about immigration enforcement and cultural labour.
In October 2025, ICE dropped its deportation case after the government declined to appeal a judge's termination order. Shin's attorney expects him to receive a green card within 16 months.
The case underscores the precarious position of non-citizen performing artists in the United States, where visa complications, lapsed protections, and minor legal infractions can abruptly interrupt careers—even for musicians deeply embedded in their communities. It also reveals how collective advocacy from cultural sectors can successfully challenge enforcement actions that treat long-term resident artists as removal priorities.
Sources: Denver Gazette, Violinist.com, NPR, NBC News
