Mario Guevara was arrested in June at a immigration protest. (Gwinnett County Police
ATLANTA - Journalist Mario Guevara was deported Friday from the United States to his native El Salvador, a move that press freedom advocates are calling a troubling escalation against reporters.
Mario Guevara deported
What we know:
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) confirmed Guevara’s removal, saying it marks the first time the organization has documented a U.S. deportation tied to alleged retaliation for reporting. Guevara, an Emmy Award–winning journalist who has worked for several Atlanta outlets and later launched his own news service, had been detained by immigration authorities for more than 100 days following his arrest during a protest last June.
Guevara, a husband and father, was arrested during a protest last June and charged with misdemeanors including obstruction and unlawful assembly. Those charges were later dismissed in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.
His deportation went forward Friday after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency stay of removal. "There really isn’t anything stopping his removal at this point. He’s being removed as we speak," said Guevara’s attorney, Giovanni Diaz.
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Journalist targeted, attorney argues
What they're saying:
Diaz said the family had been prepared for the possibility but called the outcome devastating. "It’s very disappointing for obvious reasons, especially after we saw the decision that came down from the Board of Immigration Appeals, where they essentially created a new standard for what we were asking for, specifically for Mario," Diaz said. He added that a pending petition for review at the appeals court could still result in a favorable ruling that might compel Guevara’s return.
The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the deportation as "shameful," calling it a "troubling sign of the deteriorating freedom of the press under the Trump administration."
"Mario Guevara’s deportation is a troubling sign of the deteriorating freedom of the press under the Trump administration," said Katherine Jacobsen, CPJ’s U.S., Canada, and Caribbean program coordinator. "Make no mistake, this is not a simple immigration case as authorities would have the public believe. Guevara was first detained in retaliation for his reporting … it is shameful that the U.S. government is deporting Guevara."
Diaz argued that Guevara, who once fought an asylum case that was later closed, had legal permission to be in the country and should have been allowed to pursue a green card. "Was he here illegally? No," Diaz said. "He was already granted a bond by an immigration judge because we showed he wasn’t a danger to the community and he wasn’t a flight risk."
He said Guevara was targeted for his work as a reporter. "Mario’s being punished for his reporting," Diaz said. "Nothing’s changed about the way Mario does his work. Nothing changed about the fact that Mario is a law-abiding member of the community, a valued member of the community, a family man, and eligible for his green card. The only thing that’s changed is ICE’s aggressive operations and the fact that he was getting in the way."
Diaz said Guevara’s deportation should be alarming to the public. "They’ve even weaponized the immigration courts as part of the deportation machine," he said. "It’s pretty difficult to make the argument nowadays that our clients are getting a fair shake at the Board of Immigration Appeals."
Who is Mario Guevara?
The backstory:
Journalist Mario Guevara has been entangled in legal and immigration battles since his arrest during a protest earlier this year in metro Atlanta.
Guevara, a well-known Spanish-language reporter, was taken into custody on June 14 while livestreaming a demonstration in DeKalb County. Police charged him with misdemeanors including obstruction, unlawful assembly and walking on a roadway.
Days later, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed him in removal proceedings. Although an immigration judge granted bond in July, ICE appealed the decision, keeping him detained.
DeKalb County prosecutors dropped the initial protest-related charges and Gwinnett County later filed and dropped traffic-related misdemeanor charges against him.
Since then, Guevara's lawyers and various organizations have been fighting to keep the husband and father from being deported.