Detained journalist on deportation order: ‘Life isn’t always fair’

In a letter shared from immigration detention, journalist Mario Guevara said he was resigned to deportation — an event that would put an end to a distinguished career covering immigration enforcement across metro Atlanta for a mass social media audience.

“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 wrote.

Guevara’s letter was posted Monday, his 100th day spent in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Guevara was first arrested June 14 while livestreaming a tense anti-ICE protest in DeKalb County. He was charged with obstructing law enforcement officers, unlawful assembly and pedestrian walking on a road.

Although those charges were later dropped, he was quickly transferred from the DeKalb County Jail into ICE detention. He has remained there since, despite an immigration judge’s decision in July to approve Guevara for bond.

“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. Also, because they’ll tear my family apart, which is what I love most in life, even though all my loved ones know this all happened because of my passion for my work,” Guevara wrote in the letter.

Guevara’s two adult children spoke at a news conference Tuesday, alongside Guevara’s attorneys and press freedom advocates.

“I’ve seen my dad’s smile slowly fade as he faces this reality, and it’s unbearable to witness.”

Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara children, Katherine Guevara, react as she struggles to find words during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Guevara, who has lawfully resided in the U.S. for over 20 years, was taken into ICE custody on June 18 and remains in custody, despite being in the country legally since April 2004. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Guevara’s 21-year-old son, Oscar, described his father’s role in supporting him as he weathered significant health challenges.

In 2021, Oscar was diagnosed with a large brain tumor. During surgery to remove it, he suffered a stroke, which left him with periodic seizures and intense nerve pain.

“Through all this, my dad has been the person who keeps me going. He drives me to my medical appointments, helps me manage my care, and most importantly, lifts me up when I feel like giving in to the pain,” he said. “My father is not just my caregiver. He is my source of strength, hope and courage.

“Without him here, I feel like part of me is missing. His absence has made my recovery harder and my life emptier.”

Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union said that, shortly following Friday’s immigration appeals court decision, they sought an emergency hearing in Georgia federal court to pause the deportation and order Guevara’s immediate release. They filed a second emergency motion Monday. The U.S. government is expected to file a response by the end of the week.

“ICE’s continued detention of Mr. Guevara sends a chilling message, both to reporters covering ICE activity and to the communities that rely on that reporting. Georgians rely on a free press to get critical information about what is going on in their communities,” said Andres Lopez-Delgado, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Georgia. “And Georgians need to know that journalists are protected and that nobody will be punished for shedding light on government action.”