Journalist Mario Guevara from Salvador talks about being detained at the center of the immigration and customs enforcement process in southern Georgia.
Guevera, who left his homeland more than 20 years ago and founded “Spanish news” “MG News”, was detained by ICE agents when he announced the NO Kings protest June 14. In the Atlantic district. The 47-year-old journalist’s arrest was captured in the video because he broadcast his news message directly when the incident occurred.
“I am obviously convinced that my situation in this ice prison is direct revenge for my coverage,” Guevara recently said at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have not committed any crime.”
After spending a month in the care of the ice, Guevara described himself as “emotionally destroyed” for his constant detention.
He believes the government gives it an example to discourage people from monitoring ice activities.
“[T]Hey, I want to send the message that people cannot follow the ice operatives or reveal what is happening, ”he said.
June 24th The Homeland Security Department announced X of Guevara’s situation.
Read more: Journalist Mario Guevara still holds ice, despite the fact that he is given a bond
“Mario Guevara, a citizen of Salvador, is under the auspices of the ice because he is illegally in our country. Guevara was arrested by Dekalb County, Georgian police for a conscious obstacle when he refused to execute local police orders from the middle of the street,” the post said. “After the arrest of the local authorities, ICE helped him the detentioner. After his release, he was transferred to the custody of ICE and was included in the removal procedures.”
As far as the status of Guevara’s place of residence, his lawyer noted that Guevara has permission to work and has a way to citizenship through his adult son, who is a US citizen.
Guevara claimed that he was only allowed to be outside his camera two hours a day and that he was extended by a colleague prisoner, although ICE did not confirm his statements.
“Everyone knows me here. One person even told me that I was capturing his arrest. Imagine it,” Guevara said of the awareness of my prisoners.
According to the journalist, his online followers have stated that his coverage due to the ongoing ice raids is very much missed.
“People understand that they have to be informed when raids are going on a daily basis,” he said. “I am pleased to know that my work had an impact. But I pay for my freedom for it. This is a high price.”
Despite the joy he receives after informing his community about the latest news, Guevara plans to postpone his reports if he is released from detention for his immigration status.
“I can’t take risks,” he said. “If I don’t become a US citizen, my coverage will have to change.”
Read more: Spanish journalist documents confirmed migratory raids in the US, could be deported after being arrested
Guevara, which identifies itself as a more ideologically coordinated with the Republican Party, in part because of its Christian values, argued that detention forced him to revise his political reconciliation.
“I was convinced that Trump is a smart person who could help the country’s economy and that it could help to encourage moral values in the US,” Guevara admitted. “[B]When he became involved in power, I realized that his ideology was completely different. It was just a persecution, a persecution, a persecution. ‘
He advised the US Latin Americans with the opportunity to vote to reconsider support for a man who is constantly behaving “against our community”.
Guevara also regretted the way he preferred to work against his family during his career.
“It could have been the biggest mistake of my life because now I realize that work is not more important than a family. But I’m not a criminal,” he said. “My family needs me. I’m going to fight until the end.”
In a previous detention report, Guevara said he could not support his family for a month in ice custody, including a son who has a special condition that he needs constant care and attention.
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This story initially appeared at the Los Angeles Times.