Mario Guevara remains in ICE custody despite judge's bond ruling

In the United States, a Spanish-language journalist named Mario Guevara was arrested on June 14, 2023, while covering a protest outside Atlanta, Georgia. Local police apprehended him during a DeKalb County rally against President Trump's administration. Following his arrest, Guevara was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) several days later. A previous immigration case against him had been administratively closed over a decade earlier, and he was in the process of applying for a green card that was sponsored by his adult U.S. citizen son. After multiple legal efforts, on July 2, 2023, an immigration judge granted him a bond of $7,500. Guevara's family attempted to pay the bond both online and in person, but their attempts were met with refusal by ICE. This resulted in Guevara being moved between three different jails, which complicated his situation further. His attorney, Giovanni Diaz, reported that upon being transferred to Gwinnett County, he was briefly released on bond for traffic charges but was quickly taken back into ICE custody due to the immigration bond not being paid. The lawyer argued that Guevara posed no danger to the community; however, ICE contended that he was a threat that should not be released. His lawyers viewed ICE's actions as excessive, stating that the immigration judge had already indicated Guevara was not a risk. While detained at Gwinnett County, Guevara's phone was confiscated under a search warrant, further complicating his case. The narrative surrounding his arrest highlighted Guevara's assertion of being a member of the media at the time of his apprehension. Despite being charged with unlawful assembly and obstruction of police, his role as a journalist covering a protest has drawn attention to the treatment of media members during demonstrations. As of now, Guevara remains in ICE custody, raising concerns over how immigration enforcement interacts with journalists and the implications for press freedom. This situation underscores ongoing tensions related to immigration policies in the U.S. and the rights of journalists covering civil demonstrations, prompting calls for better protections and clearer policies regarding the treatment of media personnel during protests.