Who is Pritesh Walia? Indian guitarist released after 14 days in ICE custody, ‘Scared, hopeless and completely broken’

Indian jazz guitarist and composer Pritesh Walia has been freed following his unexpected detention by ICE, which occurred on August 2 at Los Angeles International Airport. After his release, he shared a video detailing his experience, stating that he felt "scared, hopeless, and completely broken" during his 14-day confinement at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in Southern California.

Upon receiving bond, Walia returned home and expressed gratitude to all those who supported him throughout this challenging time. He opened up about his experience on Instagram. “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.”

"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. 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 said.

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Walia, who was born and raised in New Delhi, India, commenced his musical education at the age of 13, focusing on Indian classical music. He later moved to the United States to pursue higher education in music, obtaining an associate’s degree from the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, a bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music, and a master’s degree from New England Conservatory.

Since 2019, Walia has resided in the U.S. under an O1B visa, which is a temporary work visa designated for artists. This visa is initially valid for three years and can be renewed annually for a total of up to three additional years. As per a statement from ICE, he is obligated to leave the country by 2025.

In 2023, Walia experienced a significant health crisis characterized by severe vertigo, dissociation, oscillopsia, blurred vision, and balance difficulties. He was diagnosed with Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD), Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), and chronic vestibular migraines.