A Colorado judge has set bail at $25,000 for violinist John Shin to be set free, pending an immigration hearing.

Shin, a 37-year-old Korean from Salt Lake City, was detained by ICE on Aug. 27 for not having legal authorization to be in the United States. Shin was brought to the U.S. as a child by his father and had his temporary legal status revoked after an impaired driving ticket in 2019. He married DaNae Snow, an American, in 2021, but has yet to file paperwork for a visa due to financial struggles.

A hearing was held on Sept. 2 at the GEO immigrant detention facility. Shin declined the use of Korean interpreters due to his English fluency. The government argued that the family has had years to seek legal status for Shin, and has not taken the steps to resolve the issue even after knowing Shin had lost his DACA status.

After the hearing, which Snow attended, she said, “I’m still nervous. This is just the beginning of the rest of our battles, but my attorneys keep telling me that he is the type of person that we want here. They were saying that he has such amazing support and has proven his character. And so I just really believe that good will overcome.”

Shin was granted the $25,000 bond, but, at the time, federal government reserved the right to appeal. 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.

On Sept. 4, Snow reported that she received word that, they weren’t going to appeal the bond, and that his bond payment, which was supported through the family’s GoFundMe, was processed. She said, “His release should be any minute now. I feel elated. This is such a win for us and we cannot wait to get him back home.”

Read Related Stories

• Robert Baldwin Releases Statement Regarding Detainment of John Shin by ICE