Metro Atlanta reporter under ICE hold following arrest at protest
A metro Atlanta journalist who was detained at a protest in DeKalb County while livestreaming to his hundreds of thousands of followers is still in custody because of his immigration status.
The livestream shows Mario Guevara, who is known for his Spanish-language coverage of immigration raids, wearing a helmet and a vest identifying him as “PRESS” during a Saturday protest against President Donald Trump’s administration on Chamblee Tucker Road in Embry Hills.
However, the livestream was cut short when police in riot gear deployed tear gas to prevent demonstrators from marching toward the interstate ramp and later approached Guevara on the sidewalk. According to DeKalb County, at least eight people, including Guevara, were arrested and booked into jail.
“The right to protest is fundamental and respected in DeKalb County,” said CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson following the arrests. “But when a protest shifts from peaceful and law-abiding to one that threatens public safety and disregards lawful orders, I trust our officers to respond appropriately. Our duty is to protect both the rights of individuals and the well-being of the broader community.”
Guevara’s charges include obstruction of law enforcement officers, pedestrian walking on or along the way, and unlawful assembly, though his attorney, Giovanni Diaz, says he was “just recording” the protests.
“The good thing is that [his arrest] was recorded not just by him but also his followers who were there to protest,” Diaz said during a brief phone interview. “It seemed like he was complying with what they were asking him.”
Guevara reportedly secured a signature bond on Monday morning but remains in custody because he is in the process of applying to become a legal permanent resident through his son, who is an American citizen.
According to the Associated Press, Guevara fled El Salvador with his family in 2004 because of his work as a political reporter for the newspaper La Prensa Grafica. After immigrating to Georgia, Guevara reported for Georgia’s largest Spanish-language newspaper, Mundo Hispanico, before launching his news site, MGNews.
Diaz said Immigration and Customs Enforcement has up to 48 hours to pick Guevara up, or the county must release him.
“And if they don’t, then they are in violation of federal regulation and are in jeopardy of being sued,” Diaz said.
Diaz says his law partner Zach Gaeta has visited Guevara at least three or four times since his arrest and remains in good spirits.
“If you know Mario, he’s mission-driven and he believes in what he does,” Diaz said. “And he feels he’s done nothing wrong, and we agree with him.”
