Emmy award-winning journalist Mario Guevara has warned that he may be the first but likely not the last immigrant journalist deported by the Trump administration. Speaking from El Salvador in a virtual interview with the US Press Freedom Tracker, Guevara described immigration agents as 'very aggressive' and said they 'don't care about journalists.'
Guevara, who fled El Salvador in 2004 and had a work permit, was arrested in June while livestreaming anti-Trump protests in Atlanta. He believes his Spanish-language reporting made him a target. Although local charges were quickly dropped, an old immigration case was reopened, leading to his deportation on 3 October.
Guevara's case has sparked fears for press freedom, especially after British journalist Sami Hamdi was detained at San Francisco airport days later. The Council on American-Islamic Relations alleged Hamdi's detention was retaliation for his criticism of Israel. Guevara urged fellow immigrant journalists to be cautious, stating the administration 'has the power' and sees the media as an enemy.
