Mario Guevara, a Salvadoran-born journalist known for documenting immigration issues in metro Atlanta, was booked into Gwinnett County Jail on traffic-related misdemeanors on July 2. He was released on bond—then transferred to ICE custody amid ongoing deportation proceedings.
What We Know:
- On June 14, Guevara was covering a “No Kings” protest in DeKalb County, livestreaming and clearly identified as press when arrested by Doraville authorities for unlawful assembly, obstruction, and walking on the roadway. Video shows him stating, “I’m a member of the media, officer” while wearing a vest labeled “PRESS.”
- Those charges were dismissed on June 25 due to insufficient evidence.
- Meanwhile, Gwinnett County obtained warrants for misdemeanor charges stemming from an unrelated May 20 incident involving reckless driving, distracted driving, and failing to obey traffic control devices.
- On July 2, he was booked on these traffic charges, posted a $3,900 bond, and was released from Gwinnett custody—only to be held without bond by ICE in Floyd County Jail.
What We Don’t Know:
- Details surrounding the Gwinnett traffic incident are murky, and the sheriff’s office has made several clarifications after the initial news release.
- The timing of his eventual release from ICE custody remains uncertain. His immigration bond hearing is scheduled for July 31 under federal immigration court jurisdiction.
By The Numbers:
- DeKalb arrest: June 14, 2025
- Charges dismissed: June 25, 2025
- Traffic incident: May 20, reported June 17
- Bond amount in DeKalb/immigration: $7,500.
- Gwinnett bond: $3,900
- ICE hearing: July 31
In Context:
- Guevara fled El Salvador in 2004 due to threats tied to his reporting career; he’s since become a respected Spanish-language journalist in Georgia. He won an Emmy in 2023 and founded MG News in 2024.
- Press freedom advocates, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, describe his arrest as retaliatory and a threat to First Amendment protections—particularly because he was clearly identified as press. Legal experts have weighed in that his detention may constitute improper prior restraint.
Take Action:
- Concerned residents can submit comments or case statements to the federal immigration court ahead of the July 31 hearing and contact local representatives to express concerns about press rights in immigration enforcement.
- The sheriff’s office is advising interested parties to file open records requests with Gwinnett County to learn more about the alleged traffic incident.
Guevara’s case is shaping into a pivotal moment for press freedom and immigration in Georgia—an episode to watch as he heads into next month’s bond hearing and ICE’s deportation proceedings.
🛑 🛑 🛑
Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
