Hispanic journalist Mario Guevara arrested during protest detained by ICE

Hispanic journalist detained by ICE after arrest

Mario Guevara, a Hispanic journalist in Atlanta, was arrested during Saturday's protest against ICE and other policies from the Trump Administration. ICE has now lodged a detainer against Guevara, who reportedly granted work authorization to be in the U.S.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Metro Atlanta journalist Mario Guevara, known for his coverage of immigration raids and advocacy for immigrant communities, was arrested Saturday during a protest in DeKalb County, according to Que Onnda.

The demonstration was one of several organized across the metro area in opposition to various actions, including the roundup of people who are in the country illegally by ICE (Immigration and Customes Enforcement), taken by President Trump since he began his second term in office.

Tensions escalated roughly two hours into the DeKalb protest when officers in riot gear arrived to block marchers from entering the roadway. Guevara was present at the scene, livestreaming the event in Spanish to his large social media audience. In the video, he narrated unfolding events while wearing a helmet and press vest for identification.

During the broadcast, Guevara can be heard urging officers not to touch him. Moments later, the feed cuts off. As the video briefly resumes, he is heard identifying himself as a member of the press before being taken to the ground by police.

Guevara was booked into the DeKalb County Jail at 4:49 p.m. and charged with obstruction of law enforcement officers, walking improperly in a roadway, and unlawful assembly.

Prominent Spanish-language reporter arrested at ICE protest

Influential Spanish-language reporter Mario Guevara was arrested at an ICE, "No Kings Day" protest in DeKalb County on Saturday. FOX LOCAL cameras were rolling near Chamblee Tucker Road when he was taken into custody.

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The legal team representing Guevara, Diaz & Gaeta Law, issued a statement on social media condemning the arrest and vowing to defend his First Amendment rights. They asserted he was detained simply for documenting the protest.

What's next:

During a court appearance on Monday, Guevara was granted bond. However, before he could be released, a detainer was placed by ICE. A detainer is usually the first step in the deportation process.

Attorneys for journalist Mario Guevara say he was here on a work authorization and is trying to get a green card, but remains in the DeKalb County Jail on an ICE hold despite being granted a signature bond following his arrest on Saturday.

"It seemed like he was doing exactly what he usually does when he's on the scene," Giobanni Diaz, Attorney for Mario Guevara said.

"He's been renewing his work authorization. He's a law-abiding member of the community," he added.

Guevara has extensively covered ICE arrests in the metro Atlanta area. He fled his native country of El Salvador in 2004 ahead of threats from leftwing paramilitary groups, according to laopinion.com. He has worked for Spanish-language media outlets including Atlanta Latino and Mundo Hispanico and won an Emmy Award in 2023 for his work. He founded MGNews in June last year to focus on immigration enforcement in metro Atlanta. He has more than 780,000 followers on Facebook alone.

FOX 5 Atlanta has reached out to ICE Atlanta for a statement.

DeKalb County Politics News