Mario Guevara, an Atlanta-based Hispanic journalist, is scheduled to be deported to El Salvador on Friday morning, according to a social media update from his son, Oscar Guevara.
The deportation is set to occur at 11 a.m. from a facility in Louisiana.
On Thursday evening, a federal court denied Guevara’s appeal to stop his deportation.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for Georgia’s 11th Circuit made the decision shortly before midnight on Wednesday, rejecting Guevara’s motion.
Advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have been pushing for Guevara’s release for several months.
The ACLU indicated that he could be deported as soon as Thursday, further heightening concerns among his supporters.
Guevara, originally from El Salvador, has lived in the United States since the early 2000s.
He was detained while covering a protest in DeKalb County in mid-June, leading to his transfer into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Nora Benavidez, a civil rights and free speech attorney, expressed her distress over Guevara’s situation, calling it a deeply inhumane act shrouded in secrecy.
“So few people know, and I do not know where Mario might be at any moment, which causes me deep concern for his family’s well-being,” Benavidez remarked.
She further cautioned that the precedent set in Guevara’s case could erode democratic protections in the U.S.
Guevara’s family reported on Wednesday that he had been moved from the ICE detention facility in Folkston to another location for processing ahead of his deportation.
Notably, Guevara’s name had disappeared from the ICE detainee list, raising alarm among his advocates.
Officials from the Board of Immigration Appeals, which is influenced by presidential appointments, cited a 13-year-old deportation order found in Guevara’s file as a basis for his impending removal.
ICE officials stated that Guevara does not hold permanent residency in the U.S., a critical factor for his detention.
However, Guevara’s attorneys contend that he has a valid work authorization.
Initially, he had bonded out of Gwinnett County Jail but was subsequently re-detained by ICE at Floyd County Jail before being moved to a federal corrections center in Atlanta.
On September 22, Guevara noted the 100th day of his detention, expressing his feelings through a letter that reached the public’s attention.
In this letter, he reflected on his two decades in the U.S., stating, “I’m aware of my legal status; I know I’m about to be expelled from this country, which I’ve loved and respected so much for more than two decades.”
He further shared, “Life isn’t always fair. If they deport me, I’ll leave with my head held high, because I’m convinced it will be for carrying out my journalistic work and not for committing crimes.”
Deeply emotional, Guevara admitted, “Of course, I’m leaving with a broken heart and my dignity trampled, because I’ve been humiliated by both federal and local authorities, and I don’t believe I deserve it.”
He also mentioned the heartbreak his deportation would bring to his family, stating, “They’ll divide my family, which is what I love most in life, although all my loved ones know it’s all because of my passion for my work.”
Guevara criticized the U.S. immigration system, asserting, “The Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag says in part: ‘With liberty and justice for all.’ That’s a fallacy right now. They should add ‘except for immigrants.’”
He concluded his letter with hopeful sentiments, wishing for a future where love and mercy would prevail over racial hatred in America.
He mentioned his obligation as a journalist, thanking his Latino community for their support and expressing gratitude to the clients of MGNews: “THANK YOU. God is never wrong and is always in control, so I trust that wherever I go, I will continue serving my people. Blessings.”
As the time of his deportation approaches, Guevara’s case continues to raise significant concerns about immigration policies and the treatment of journalists in the U.S.
The situation has captured the attention of civil rights advocates and the community at large, as they await further developments in this compelling story.
image source from：atlantanewsfirst
