An immigration judge ordered Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara to be deported on Friday despite a pending First Amendment case in federal court, setting off a frenzied attempt by his attorneys to stop the deportation from happening.

Guevara was arrested earlier this summer while covering an anti-ICE protest in DeKalb County. His arrest has alarmed free speech advocates and attracted national attention.

Friday’s ruling relies on a 2012 order stemming from Guevara’s request for asylum in 2005. While his request was initially denied, the case was administratively closed on appeal which paused deportation proceedings against Guevara indefinitely, but not permanently. The new order concluded that a previous immigration judge was prohibited from issuing Guevara bond in July due to that

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