The Only U-S Journalist in ICE Custody Speaks Out

Mario Guevara

The only U.S. journalist currently in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody is Mario Guevara, a Salvadoran journalist who has lived in the United States for over 20 years. 

Guevara was arrested on June 14, 2025, while covering a “No Kings” protest in DeKalb County, Georgia, for his Spanish-language outlet, MG News. He was livestreaming the event when local police detained him, charging him with unlawful assembly, obstruction of law enforcement officers, and a traffic violation for improperly entering a roadway. 

After his arrest, DeKalb County police turned him over to ICE, which placed a detainer on him, and he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution in Atlanta and later to the Folkston ICE Processing Center in southeast Georgia.

Guevara, who entered the U.S. legally on a tourist visa in 2004 and has a pending application for adjustment of status, has a valid work permit and Social Security number. His attorney, Giovanni Diaz, disputes ICE’s claim that Guevara is in the country illegally, asserting that his detention stems from his journalistic work covering immigration raids and protests. 

On July 7, 2025, an immigration judge granted Guevara a $7,500 bond, but ICE appealed the decision, and the prosecutor blocked his release, keeping him detained. 

Guevara called for intervention from the Salvadoran government, specifically President Nayib Bukele, claiming he is being persecuted for his journalism. ICE maintains that Guevara’s detention is not related to his journalism but due to his alleged illegal presence in the U.S. and his obstruction of police during the protest.