Atlanta immigrant journalist seeks release after months in ICE custody

An Atlanta journalist who has been in ICE custody since June without any criminal charges is suing for his release. The American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia announced Thursday that Mario Guevara is taking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); DHS Secretary Kristi Noem; Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Justice Department, including United States Attorney General Pam Bondi, to court through a habeas petition, asking a judge to rule on whether his detention is lawful.

Atlanta journalist detained by ICE

Guevara, an El Salvadoran national, was arrested on June 14, 2025, while covering a “No Kings Day” rally in DeKalb County, Georgia. DHS said police there arrested him after they had declared an unlawful assembly and Guevara refused to move out of the street. According to Guevara’s attorneys, he identified himself as a journalist, wearing a vest marked “PRESS,” carrying credentials and remaining separate from protesters. He was later transferred to ICE custody.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) filed a declaration supporting Guevara and said his detention is tied solely to his reporting and press activities.

“It is imperative that immigration authorities fully explain why he is still in detention,” José Zamora, CPJ’s regional director, said. “Keeping Guevara behind bars effectively ends the journalist’s ability to report the news and sends a chilling message to others who want to exercise their right to share information, including recorded images, about what officials do in public.” 

Bond granted, but appeal blocks release

The lawsuit, filed with support from the ACLU, said Guevara is the only journalist in America currently in ICE detention. He’s being held in solitary confinement despite an immigration judge granting him bond in July. Federal officials appealed that ruling, blocking his release.

All criminal charges against Guevara have since been dropped. Still, he remains in detention due to his disputed immigration status — something the ACLU of Georgia and Guevara’s legal team say is a direct attempt to silence a journalist critical of government actions, violating his First and Fifth Amendment rights.

​​Background and legal status

In June, DHS denied claims that Guevara was arrested for his journalism. After his arrest by county police, ICE placed a detainer on him. The agency said he had entered the U.S. illegally. The ACLU disputes those claims. It said Guevara has lived in Georgia for more than 20 years and entered the U.S. legally after fleeing threats for his reporting in El Salvador in 2004.

Guevara first sought relief from deportation in 2007. Five years later, an immigration court closed his case, effectively ending removal proceedings. His attorneys said that the decision allowed him to live and work legally in the U.S. and that Guevara now qualifies to apply for a green card, but has yet to receive one.

Professionally, Guevara built a career in Spanish-language media. After years at Mundo Hispánico, he launched MG News in 2024, a digital outlet that employs five people and reaches nearly a million followers across Facebook and other platforms. According to the ACLU, his site is known for livestreams and coverage of immigration and law enforcement, including stories that have drawn attention to missteps by federal agencies.

Attorneys ask for Guevara’s release

Until his arrest this summer, Guevara had no criminal record, according to the ACLU. His petition asks a federal court to release him so he can return to his family, including a son with severe medical needs, and continue his reporting career.