Journalist Mario Guevara granted bail by Georgia immigration judge
Mario Guevara. FOX 5 Atlanta image
ATLANTA - Bail was granted Tuesday morning for Mario Guevara, the Salvadoran reporter arrested June 14 during an immigration protest in DeKalb County, according to a Facebook post by his attorneys, Diaz & Gaeta Law.
What we know:
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.
After he was granted bond in DeKalb County, he was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which claims he is in the country illegally.
Guevara is currently being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, a city in southwest Georgia.
He has been covering immigration issues in the U.S. for more than two decades and won an Emmy in 2023 for his work.
What they're saying:
The Committee to Protect Journalists has released the following statement:
The charges against Guevara in connection with the protest were dropped last week. The DeKalb County Solicitor-General decided not to pursue charges after reviewing evidence, despite initial probable cause for arrest.
The Spanish-language reporter still faces charges of distracted driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, and reckless driving in Gwinnett County.
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.
His 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.
A recent piece by The New Yorker claims Guevara is being targeted by law enforcement and the immigration agencies he has covered.
What we don't know:
At this time, it is unknown when he will be released from the detention center. FOX 5 Atlanta is attempting to contact his attorneys.
Additionally, FOX 5 Atlanta has reached out to ICE for a statement.
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