The only journalist detained by the federal government is at risk of immediate deportation at any moment.
FOLKSTON, Ga. — The sole journalist currently detained by the U.S. Federal Government is facing the threat of immediate deportation, as his lawyers state, with the Board of Immigration Appeals advancing his removal process from the country.
Hailing from El Salvador, Guevara has resided in the United States since the early 2000s. His attorneys explain that he possesses a valid work permit and has an ongoing green card application, indicating a legitimate legal pathway to residency.
Still, Guevara remains in custody at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in South Georgia—more than three months after his arrest.
Guevara, who is the founder and leading journalist for MGNews, is the only journalist currently incarcerated in retaliation for his reporting, according to his legal representatives from the ACLU.
On June 14, he was donning a press vest when he was detained while livestreaming a “No Kings” protest in DeKalb County. The criminal charges from that day were quickly dismissed, and an immigration judge awarded him bond on July 1.
However, rather than being released, ICE moved Guevara to Gwinnett County, where more traffic charges were lodged but subsequently dropped. In spite of this, he has remained in federal custody, being transferred between different detention centers.
Late in August, a federal judge in Brunswick reviewed arguments regarding his habeas corpus petition challenging his detention. No ruling was made, with the judge requesting further information from both parties.
Now, Guevara’s attorneys with the ACLU of Georgia say the government’s immigration board is pressing forward with deportation efforts, calling it retaliation for his reporting and livestreaming work.
“Mario’s detention is unjust, a direct retaliation for his journalism and livestreaming—something that should worry us all,” Jose Zamora of the Committee to Protect Journalists said during the press conference after the Brunswick hearing in August.
Guevara’s son, Oscar, has also spoken publicly about the family’s ordeal, describing how his father calls nearly every day from detention. “To many people, he’s a journalist, but to me, he’s just my dad,” Oscar said outside a courthouse last month. “I want my dad out.”
If his legal team’s emergency appeal fails, Guevara could be deported to El Salvador any moment, cutting short a high-profile case that press freedom advocates say poses a dangerous precedent for journalists across the country.
