By Mila Koumpilova

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Minneapolis — A Twin Cities immigration judge has ordered the release of a man who faced deportation after a highly-publicized encounter with a Metro Transit officer in May.

Immigration Judge Ryan Wood set a $5,000 bond and postponed the case of Ariel Vences-Lopez, who is seeking a special visa for victims of crime who cooperate with law enforcement. Vences-Lopez is a Mexican citizen and construction worker who had crossed the border illegally in 2012.

Vences-Lopez’ case drew international attention in May after a fellow light-rail passenger posted a video of an officer asking him if he was in the country illegally during a fare check. The encounter garnered about 1.5 million views online and led Metro Transit to weigh a new policy that would bar officers from inquiring about passengers’ immigration status in most cases.

Vences-Lopez was tased and then arrested on suspicion of fare evasion, obstructing an officer and giving a false name, but the charges have since been dropped. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took Vences-Lopez into custody soon after his arrest.