Journalist detained by ICE in Atlanta appeals for help from El Salvador

Mario Guevara pleading for help

Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara is asking for help from the president of El Salvador after he was arrested in June while covering a protest. His attorneys insist he is here legally. ICE says he is not.

ATLANTA - Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, currently being held in federal detention in Atlanta following an arrest during a protest in DeKalb County, has issued a public plea for help, claiming he is the target of political persecution due to his work as a reporter.

What we know:

In a letter shared via social media on July 7, Guevara, who has lived in the United States for nearly 22 years, called on Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to intervene with U.S. authorities to stop his deportation. He stated that his arrest and continued detention are retaliation for covering immigration enforcement operations as a journalist.

"I am being persecuted for carrying out my journalistic work covering street operations," Guevara wrote. He emphasized that he has never been arrested before, has consistently paid taxes, and has no criminal history in either the U.S. or El Salvador.

What they're saying:

According to Guevara, a U.S. immigration judge initially granted him release on bond, but that decision was appealed by the government and overturned. He remains in custody of U.S. Immigrations and Customes Enforcement (ICE) nearly a month after his arrest and says he has been transferred to five different detention facilities in that time—a pattern he believes is designed to damage his record and fast-track his deportation.

PREVIOUS STORY: Journalist Mario Guevara granted bail by Georgia immigration judge

"I need to get out so I can continue my life, keep working, and support my family," he wrote, adding that he is particularly concerned for the wellbeing of his children.

Guevara’s arrest has drawn attention in immigrant and journalist advocacy circles, especially given his claim that he was targeted for documenting law enforcement activities.

In his letter, Guevara directly addressed President Bukele: "Through this message, I appeal to the Government of El Salvador—particularly President Nayib Bukele—to please intervene on my behalf with the U.S. government."

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Floyd County officials said on Monday that Guevara had been taken by ICE from the Floyd County Jail in Rome.

PREVIOUS STORY: Journalist Mario Guevara being held on ICE hold in Floyd County

"We are dismayed that immigration officials have decided to ignore a federal immigration court order last week granting bail to journalist Mario Guevara," said CPJ U.S., Canada and Caribbean Program Coordinator Katherine Jacobsen. "Guevara is currently the only jailed journalist in the United States who was arrested in relation to his work. Immigration authorities must respect the law and release him on bail instead of bouncing him from one jurisdiction to another."

The backstory:

Guevara, 47, was taken into custody while filming a demonstration at the intersection of Chamblee-Tucker Road and Northcrest Road in Doraville. He was initially charged with unlawful assembly, obstruction of a law enforcement officer, and being a pedestrian on or along the roadway. Those charges were later dropped.

Guevara's attorneys say Guevara is in the U.S. on valid work authorization and has been renewing it as required. They also say he has been actively seeking to obtain a green card.

Guevara fled his native country of El Salvador in 2004 following threats from left-wing paramilitary groups, according to La Opinión. He has worked for Spanish-language media outlets including Atlanta Latino and Mundo Hispánico, and he won an Emmy Award in 2023 for his coverage. He founded MGNews in June 2024 to focus on immigration enforcement in metro Atlanta.

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What's next:

The Salvadoran government has not yet responded publicly to Guevara’s request. The journalist remains in federal custody at a facility in the Atlanta area.

FOX 5 Atlanta has reached out to ICE for a statement on Guevara's status.

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