Utah Musicians Rally Around Violinist Detained By Ice After Decades In The U.s.

After a violinist who has played pinch high-profile orchestras was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement past week, members of Utah’s euphony organization are rallying successful support of his release.

Donggin Shin, 37, who came to nan U.S. from South Korea pinch his begetter erstwhile he was a child, was abruptly arrested astatine a edifice parking batch while he was connected a activity travel successful Colorado, his lawyer Adam Crayk told NBC News. He was placed successful ICE detention connected Aug. 18. With a proceeding slated for early September, his colleagues from nan Salt Lake City area are hoping to nonstop a connection to nan management and beyond that Shin, who goes by nan sanction John, is simply a weighted portion of nan community.

“John has been successful this state since he was 10 years aged and he was brought present by his parents. He didn’t get a prime successful nan matter,” violinist and conductor Gabriel Gordon said. “He is not personification that is taking from nan community, but is giving.”

A elder Department of Homeland Security charismatic said successful consequence to NBC News’ questions astir Shin, “Our connection is clear: criminal forbidden aliens are not invited successful nan United States.”

Violinist John Shin pinch his family.via GoFundMe

Shin, who useful a time occupation successful telecommunications but has played pinch nan prestigious Utah Symphony and Ballet West, is presently being held astatine nan Denver Contract Detention Facility successful Aurora, Colorado, according to an ICE database — much than 500 miles distant from his home.

According to charging documents, Shin was identified by ICE’s Fugitive Operations Team, which is mostly focused connected apprehending immigrants who person committed superior crimes and are considered threats to nationalist security. In Shin’s case, nan apprehension was prompted by an aged misdemeanor impaired driving discourtesy that occurred while Shin was navigating his father’s conflict pinch encephalon cancer, Crayk said.

“We are virtually having fugitive ops and Homeland Security Investigations, which are 2 rule enforcement agencies that attraction connected really terrible, unspeakable things, relegated now to looking for group for illustration John,” Crayk said.

The elder DHS charismatic did not elaborate connected nan specifications of Shin’s apprehension but noted that his history includes a DUI conviction.

“Shin entered nan U.S. connected a tourer visa connected September 3, 1998,” nan charismatic said successful nan statement. “This visa required him to depart nan U.S. by March 3, 1999.”

According to Crayk, DHS’ relationship of Shin’s migration history omits immoderate details. After Shin and his begetter entered nan state connected a tourer visa, his begetter yet switched to a student visa, nether which Shin, a limited astatine nan time, was besides covered, nan lawyer said.

Years later, Shin became a DACA recipient. However, owed to nan 2020 impaired driving conviction, Shin mislaid his DACA protections, leaving him without lawful position for nan past 4 and a half years, Crayk said. Records show that Shin pleaded blameworthy to nan misdemeanor offense, served his probation and nan matter was resolved.

On nan time of his arrest, his wife, DaNae Shin, pinch whom he has 2 stepchildren, received a panicked telephone call, she wrote connected societal media. It happened to beryllium her birthday, she said.

“I sewage a telephone from John-- ‘Honey, I don’t person overmuch time. I’ve been arrested by ICE and they are sending maine to a detainment center. I emotion you and nan kids, I will beryllium okay, please telephone our attorney’ and past he was rushed disconnected nan phone,” Shin wrote. “John is not a criminal, he is an astonishing husband, father, and person, and I will do immoderate it takes to bring him backmost home.”

While Shin has agelong been eligible for a greenish card, Crayk said his family was struggling financially and marriage-based greenish paper fees tally astir $2,375.

“At nan clip he joined his wife, DaNae, his begetter died of encephalon crab and his woman mislaid her job,” Crayk said. “So they went done utmost financial crisis, and they’ve been scrimping and redeeming since that time.”

Since proceeding nan news, Gordon and respective different musicians person been playing astatine nan authorities Capitol each day, wished to proceed doing truthful to raise consciousness until Shin returns home. Gordon, a conductor and violinist for Ballet West, said he’s known Shin for almost a decade and “would do anything” for nan chap violinist and his family. He described Shin arsenic a “top-shelf violinist.”

“He’s sewage an unthinkable technique,” said Gordon, who’s besides concertmaster of Chamber Orchestra Ogden. “Even much than that, he takes his method and brings his psyche to it. He brings that joyousness of music-making to nan full community.”

Robert Baldwin, head of orchestras astatine nan University of Utah, wherever he is besides a professor, said he was shocked and angry astatine nan news. Baldwin’s relationship pinch Shin stretches backmost much than 15 years to erstwhile nan violinist began his undergraduate studies astatine nan school. Baldwin said that Shin showed grit early on.

“He was not nan apical violinist erstwhile he arrived. He had a batch of earthy talent, and he asked what he needed to do to be, for instance, successful nan apical orchestra,” Baldwin recalled. “He worked his measurement up. By nan clip he was a postgraduate student, he was nan concertmaster, meaning nan first violinist of nan apical orchestra.”

Baldwin besides said that arsenic Shin progressed, he attempted to create an inclusive situation for his chap musicians.

“He helped different students acclimate to assemblage life, whether it was a freshman aliases a caller postgraduate student,” Baldwin said. “I really for illustration nan truth that he didn’t return a activity domiciled and conscionable deterioration that arsenic a badge and put himself connected an ivory building supra everyone else.”

Gordon hopes Monday’s capacity successful support of Shin conveys a clear message.

“We’re hoping that each that we’re doing is showing conscionable really valuable he is to this organization and why he belongs here,” he said. “He perfectly belongs here.”