TAKE ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

RELEASE JOURNALIST FROM IMMIGRATION DETENTION

USA UA 87.25

Mario Guevara, USA-based Salvadoran journalist, was arrested and charged with minor protest-related violations at a ‘No Kings’ protest on June 14, 2025, while wearing a ‘PRESS’ vest and livestreaming as part of his recent work covering immigration enforcement and raids. After his arrest, local law enforcement handed him to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for deportation proceedings despite having valid authorization to stay in the USA, becoming the first known case of arbitrary detention of a journalist by ICE. He also was subjected to solitary confinement for 69 days. We demand authorities to immediately release Mario Guevara.

Urge Kristen Sullivan, Acting Field Office Director for ICE Atlanta, to immediately release Mario Guevara from ICE custody - send your email using our email-writing tool.

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Director

Kristen

Sullivan

ICE Atlanta Acting Field Office Director

Dear Acting Director Sullivan,

It is distressing to learn that Mr. Mario Guevara (A#: 088-402-287) was arrested by Doraville Police Department officers in Georgia on June 14, 2025, while wearing press credentials and live streaming the ‘No Kings’ protest. Each criminal charge brought against Mr. Guevara has been dropped. He possesses valid U.S. work authorization, but through coordination with local law enforcement, ICE agents extracted Mr. Guevara from police custody and placed him in an immigration detention center. He is currently being held at the Folkston ICE Processing Center in Georgia.

Mr. Guevara is a veteran journalist and founder of MG News Network, an online news outlet that covers local, national, and international news. More recently, he has reported on immigration enforcement actions using social media and livestreaming.

On July 1, 2025, an immigration judge determined that Mr. Guevara does not pose a danger to the community nor a significant flight risk and ordered his release under bond. His continued detention is arbitrary and sends a chilling message to all journalists that freedom of expression can come at the cost of liberty—setting a dangerous precedent that the government will use immigration authorities to arbitrarily detain and silence journalists.

I am alarmed that, since he has been detained, his mental and physical health have been severely impacted, including significant weight loss and panic attacks. This was further exacerbated when he was in solitary confinement and spent 22 hours in a tiny cell with only 2 hours of daylight for 69 days. His son (who is a U.S. citizen) has serious medical conditions, including constant seizures, that require life-long medical care. Mr. Guevara is responsible for his family’s financial well-being and is responsible for his son’s medical appointments.

I implore you to respect Mr. Mario Guevara’s right to freedom of expression and end his arbitrary detention by immediately releasing him from ICE custody.

Yours sincerely,

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