Mario Guevara deportation case: Could he return to the US?

Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara deportation case
ICE ignored court order
Family hopes for his return

Journalist Mario Guevara, founder of the independent outlet MG News in Georgia, was deported to El Salvador after spending more than 100 days in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

His case has been described by human rights advocates as unprecedented in the United States — a journalist allegedly detained for carrying out his reporting duties.

It’s worth recalling that Guevara was arrested in June while covering a protest.

Journalist Deported by ICE in Georgia

➡️ Mario Guevara deported to El Salvador: Can he return to the U.S. where his family lives?

His lawyer explains 👉🏼 https://t.co/Z47g1mxGOe

By: @marianarambaldi pic.twitter.com/6rgeaFLA9o

— Univision Noticias (@UniNoticias) October 4, 2025

Although the charges were dismissed and an immigration judge ordered Mario Guevara’s release on bond, ICE refused to comply, arguing that his journalistic work made him “dangerous.”

On October 2, 2025, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency motion filed by his legal team to suspend the deportation.

That decision allowed authorities to transfer the journalist on a flight from a detention center in Louisiana to San Salvador — without giving him the chance to say goodbye to his wife and three children.

Court Denies Suspension of Deportation

“They deported me for being a journalist, for reporting the news,” said Mario Guevara after arriving in El Salvador from the U.S. https://t.co/QjKamKV6lh

— CNN en Español (@CNNEE) October 3, 2025

His attorney, Giovanni Díaz, told Univision Noticias that the legal process does not end with deportation.

“We still have several pending scenarios,” he said.

“The appeal in the 11th Circuit is ongoing, and if we obtain a favorable ruling, the court could compel the government to bring him back — as has happened in previous cases,” the lawyer explained.

He also noted that Mario Guevara could return to the United States through consular processing.

Mario Guevara’s Hope of Returning to the United States

🚨🇸🇻 Journalist Mario Guevara arrived in El Salvador after being deported, following four months in detention. He says he suffered “emotional torture” and was treated like a criminal during his custody. pic.twitter.com/zOKh9eD5mu

— El Jos (@eljossv) October 3, 2025

The journalist qualifies for permanent residency thanks to a petition filed by his U.S. citizen son, though the process could take several months.

Another key point in the appeal is to prove that Mario did comply with the voluntary departure granted to him in 2012 — something the Board of Immigration Appeals allegedly misinterpreted.

If that decision is overturned, his record would be cleared and the deportation order lifted, paving the way for his return.

The Mario Guevara Deportation Case and Press Freedom

If that does not happen, the consular process would require an additional waiver request to overcome the deportation order. Although more complex, it remains a viable legal path under immigration law.

The Mario Guevara deportation case has raised alarm among press freedom organizations, which see it as a dangerous precedent for Latino journalism in the United States.