The Rebel Yellow

The Rebel Yellow

Nearly 10 months in ICE custody, a photojournalist’s case tests the limits of protected speech

Ya’akub Vijandre, a Filipino immigrant, came to the U.S. in 2001 at 14 on his father’s visa, which expired in 2004, and was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in 2013.

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The Rebel Yellow
Jul 29, 2026
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Image via @yaakub_ira | Instagram

Ya’akub Ira Vijandre has spent nearly 10 months in federal immigration custody over social media posts without ever being charged with a crime, becoming a case testing how far the government can go in treating speech as grounds for removal.

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Agents arrested Vijandre, 38, at gunpoint outside his Arlington, Texas, ho…

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