Just as he’s done for years, street performer “Ibashi-i” spreads out his rug on Pearl Street, begins contorting his body, which bends like putty, and shouts “Showtime!” and “Everybody look at me!”

Ibashi-i — or Milton Brown, as far as the immigration court is concerned — tempts the curiosity of passersby with the promise he’ll contort his 6-foot-tall, 160-pound body into a slender tube and a 20-inch Plexiglass cube.

His Rastafarian yoga show, which he stages almost daily on the 13th block of Pearl Street, may be no more, as Brown faces a hearing Thursday that could result in his deportation.

Over the past few years, the Caribbean native has been twice caught by police with marijuana, most recently on Jan. 1. Federal officials — citing privacy laws — can give few details about his deportation case, and they can’t say whether he’s a legal citizen. But Brown said his deportation proceeding has been pending for months and stems from a 2007 incident when he was caught with weed by Denver police.

In the second incident, a Boulder police officer patrolling the Pearl Street Mall cited Brown, 53, for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Brown told police that somebody from his audience left the marijuana blunt in his tip bucket, and he showed the officer his application for a medical marijuana license. He told police that smoking marijuana is part of his culture, and he accused the officer of trying to get him deported, according to the Boulder police report.

But the officer told him that since he’s in the United States he needs to abide by the country’s laws, adding that authorities had given him a past warning.

Elaine Komis, of the executive office for immigration review, said Brown is facing “removal proceedings” for a “controlled substance” charge, which violates a stipulation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. His hearing will be at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the Byron G. Rogers Federal Building, 1961 Stout St. in Denver.

Thousands of Brown’s fans have signed online petitions and joined a Facebook group in protest of his possible deportation.

Following one of his Tuesday-morning performances, Brown — dressed in his bright red athletic shorts and a Bob Marley T-shirt — said he’s uncertain of his future. Brown, who said he is from the Eastern Caribbean island of St. Kitts, came to Boulder nearly two decades ago. He said he’s the father of four children in Colorado.

“I think I’m a good value for the community,” he said. “I’m the only performer who stays here all year.”

Ultimately, he said, it’s “up to him,” as he pointed to the sky.

Laurel Herndon, executive director of the Immigrant Legal Center of Boulder County, said society has become more accepting of marijuana use.

Meanwhile, immigration law is arcane and “mired in a viewpoint that is completely out of touch with our community,” she said.

Gia Stockton, 23, who works in the downtown shop Buddhas and Goudhas, started a Facebook group and online movement to gain support for Brown after the busker brought his anti-deportation petition into her shop.

“Boulder is known for Pearl Street,” Stockton said. “And when people come from all over the world, he’s one of the main attractions. He’s friendly. He’s happy. He’s talented.”

More than 3,500 people have joined the Facebook group, which calls Ibashi-i a Boulder icon. Additionally, 1,125 people have signed an online petition advocating that he not be deported.

Brown’s Colorado arrest record includes a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in 1998 and some failure-to-appear-in-court charges.

Contact Camera Staff Writer Brittany Anas at 303-473-1132 or anasb@dailycamera.com.