FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Atlanta-area journalist Mario Guevara’s family announced today that he will be deported to El Salvador tomorrow, after spending more than 100 days in detention.
Guevara was initially arrested on June 14 while reporting on a“No Kings” protest near Atlanta. Although the charges against him were dropped, the government argued during deportation proceedings that his filming of law enforcement activities — a constitutionally protected activity — created a threat to public safety.
The following statement can be attributed to Seth Stern, director of advocacy of Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF):
“Mario Guevara was ripped from his family and community because the Trump administration punishes journalists to protect its own power.
“The only thing that journalists like Guevara threaten is the government’s chokehold on information it doesn’t want the public to know. That’s why he’s being deported and why federal agents are assaulting and arresting journalists around the country.
“The full impact on our freedom of speech may never be known. But what is certain is that Guevara’s deportation sends a chilling message to other journalists: Tell the truth, and the state will come for you.
“This is unconstitutional, un-American, and wrong. It’s an assault on the First Amendment, and it won’t stop until we all fight back by speaking out.”
Before today’s news, more than 100 writers, journalists, and scholars signed a letter calling for his immediate release. For more about Guevara’s case, visit https://freedomformario.com/.
