Advancing Justice-Atlanta Condemns Deportation Order of Journalist Mario Guevara
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is deeply troubled by the the Board of Immigration Appeals’s deportation order of journalist Mario Guevara. We condemn the roles that DeKalb and Gwinnett County authorities played in facilitating his unjust detention and the punitive actions taken against him for his coverage of immigration enforcement activity.
On June 14, DeKalb County police arrested Mr. Guevara when he was livestreaming a protest, which led to a series of devastating issues for him and his family. Though all charges from the incident were ultimately dropped, his arrest in DeKalb County prompted the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s office to issue citations against him for traffic violations that occurred over a month prior. An immigration judge originally ordered his release, and bond payments were made for his release. Almost immediately after he was ordered released from the ICE Processing Center in Folkston, Georgia, Mr. Guevarra was transferred to Gwinnett County to release his outstanding charges there, but was once again detained by ICE. He has now been detained for over 100 days. The Board of Immigration Appeals denied his appeal and ordered his deportation, making his deportation imminent.
According to Mr. Guevara’s own words, his imprisonment has taken an immense toll on his physical and mental health, as well as his own family’s emotional and financial well-being.
We are appalled by the behind-closed-doors coordination between local law enforcement and ICE that paved the way for Mr. Guevara’s impending deportation. These actions represent not only a betrayal of public trust but also a direct attack on press freedom, immigrant rights, and the constitutional protections of free speech and assembly.
The treatment of Mr. Guevara and immigrants across the state of Georgia should concern us all. Mr. Guevara’s detention and deportation order inflict tremendous harm on him and his family and raise alarming implications for the safety of immigrant communities and the rights of all advocates. Advancing Justice-Atlanta denounces this order and reaffirms our commitment to defending immigrant communities and protecting First Amendment rights.
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About Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of four leading Asian American civil rights organizations committed to advancing the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and building a more just society for all.
