Who is Pritesh Walia? Indian Jazz artist detained and released by ICE after 14 days in custody

Jazz musician Pritesh Walia was released on bond after he was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He shared an update on Instagram and revealed that he spent 14 days in custody. The New Delhi-born artist was detained on August 2 after returning to Los Angeles, as per multiple reports.

Reportedly, Walia was taken to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in California.

Pritesh Walia released on bond

In his video, Pritesh Walia recalled his experience and called the 14 days one of the most difficult times of his life. He thanked his friends, family, girlfriend, lawyer and those in the music community for their support.

"14 days that changed me forever. Grateful beyond words for my family, my girlfriend, my lawyer, and every single person who stood by me. The love from the jazz and music community restored my faith in humanity YOU gave me hope. Taking a few days to heal, breathe, and be with my loved ones. Thank you," his post read.

"When you are sitting in a detention facility, the world feels very small. And it's very easy to lose hope, and I lost hope all the time," Walia said.

"But hearing that so many people had come together, that people were fighting for me, that there were hundreds of messages waiting for me, it gave me something to hold onto. It reminded me that kindness is still real and alive," he added.

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Who is Pritesh Walia

Pritesh Walia was born in New Delhi. He began his musical journey by learning Indian Classical Music at the age of 13 before moving to the US to pursue higher education in music. He holds an Associate's degree from the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, followed by a Bachelor's degree from Berklee College of Music and a Master's degree from the New England Conservatory. Over the years, he established himself in the US jazz and music community. Currently, he has over 56,000 followers on Instagram.

Pritesh Walia's detention by ICE

The news of Walia's detention was first shared by his friend Liza on Instagram.

"This is Liza. I'm currently managing Pritesh's account on his behalf. On Sunday night, August 2, after we returned to Los Angeles, Pritesh was unexpectedly detained by ICE and taken into custody. He has since been transferred to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center. His personal belongings, including his phone, were taken upon detention, and he currently has no access to them."

"His family and I are actively working with attorneys to address the situation and secure his release as soon as possible. We'll share further updates when we are able. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and offered support," she added.

Meanwhile, no official statement from ICE has been released in connection with Walia's detention. The status of the musician's visa also remains unknown. According to an old fundraiser for his treatment, he had stated that he obtained an artist visa to stay in the US.