Journalist Mario Guevara Appeals from ICE Detention as Deportation Looms

September 24, 2025 – USA – 

Journalist Mario Guevara, detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since June following his arrest while livestreaming a protest in Georgia, has published a powerful handwritten letter from detention detailing his ordeal, emotional toll, and determination to continue reporting.

Guevara’s detention comes despite all criminal charges against him being dropped and an immigration judge granting him bond—moves that did not lead to his release. The Board of Immigration Appeals instead reopened a 13-year-old deportation order, effectively nullifying the bond and ordering his removal to El Salvador.

In his letter, Guevara recounts the trauma of confinement: extended periods in “administrative segregation,” limited access to fresh air and natural light, disrupted sleep, panic attacks, and emotional distress. He describes being held in small, tinted cells with ceiling lights always on, and reports threats during transfers between facilities, including extortion from other inmates.

Despite these hardships, Guevara asserts his dignity and purpose remain intact: “I will leave with my head held high … because I am convinced it will be for doing my work as a journalist and not for committing crimes.” He speaks of love for his family, anguish at the separation, and frustration at being “humiliated by both federal and local authorities.”

The ACLU, CPJ, Free Press, and other rights groups have called for Guevara’s immediate release, arguing that his prolonged detention amounts to retaliation against protected press activities and contravenes the First Amendment.

As the legal battle intensifies, Guevara’s case has become emblematic of broader concerns over press freedom in the United States—particularly for immigrant journalists covering controversial and politically sensitive issues. Observers warn that his deportation could send a chilling message to reporters who scrutinize law enforcement and immigration policy.

With his fate now tied to ongoing litigation and emergency petitions filed in federal court, Guevara’s letter stands both as a personal testament and a public call: a journalist detained—and possibly deported—not for crimes, but for carrying out his profession.

Reference – 

https://bittersoutherner.com/journalist-mario-guevara-speaks-letter-from-ice-detention-facility-english

A Letter From Detained Journalist Mario Guevara