Atlanta Journalist Ordered Deported

Mario Guevara

Mario Guevara, a prominent Atlanta-area journalist known for his Spanish-language media coverage, faces imminent deportation to El Salvador after an immigration appeals court ordered his removal. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) warns that Guevara “could be put on a deportation plane at any moment.”

Despite holding a valid work permit and a pathway to residency through his U.S. citizen son, Guevara’s situation deteriorated after his July bond approval was overturned. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appealed the bond, and Friday’s ruling nullified it. Guevara’s attorneys responded by filing an emergency brief in Georgia federal court to secure his release.

Andres Lopez-Delgado, an ACLU of Georgia staff attorney, expressed concern that the Department of Homeland Security might deport Guevara swiftly, jeopardizing his chances of obtaining relief and reuniting with his family.

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.

Atlanta-Based Journalist Deported

Mario Guevara hugged on arrival in El Salvador

The U.S. deported Emmy Award-winning journalist Mario Guevara, 48, to El Salvador on Friday, months after his arrest while livestreaming a protest in Georgia. 

A federal appeals court rejected his bid to halt the deportation earlier that week, despite objections from human rights and press freedom advocates.

Guevara arrived in El Salvador around 4 a.m., stepping out of a Salvadoran Border Patrol truck. Surrounded by reporters, he tearfully addressed the media, saying, “This isn’t how I wanted to return to my homeland, but here I am.” His outlet, MG News, livestreamed the moment to tens of thousands on Facebook, as a reporter promptly handed him a microphone. He had left El Salvador over 20 years ago.