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Journalist Mario Guevara Deported to El Salvador After Court Clears Removal

A reopened 2012 asylum case, not the dismissed protest charges, drove the outcome.

Overview

  • Guevara was removed to El Salvador early Friday after roughly 110 days in ICE detention.
  • He was arrested June 14 while livestreaming a metro Atlanta protest in a press vest, and prosecutors later dismissed all criminal charges.
  • An immigration judge granted him bond in July, but the government secured a stay as the Board of Immigration Appeals reopened his old case and dismissed his appeal.
  • The 11th Circuit allowed the deportation to proceed, recognizing his right to report but noting he had not filed the required paperwork for permanent residency.
  • The ACLU and other advocates denounced the removal as a chilling message to journalists, while Guevara alleges harsh detention conditions and says he will continue reporting from abroad as his family pursues legal options.