ICE takes custody of Spanish-language journalist arrested at Georgia protest
U.S. immigration authorities said Wednesday they have detained a Spanish-language journalist, who will face deportation proceedings following his arrest on charges of obstructing police and unlawful assembly while covering a weekend protest outside Atlanta.
Mario Guevara was turned over by police to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody three days after he was jailed in DeKalb County, agency spokesman Lindsay Williams said in an emailed statement. His case now goes to immigration court to determine whether Guevara, a native of El Salvador, can remain in the U.S.
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Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
ICE takes custody of Spanish-language journalist arrested at Georgia protest
U.S. immigration authorities said Wednesday they have detained a Spanish-language journalist, who will face deportation proceedings following his arrest on charges of obstructing police and unlawful assembly while covering a weekend protest outside Atlanta. Mario Guevara was turned over by police to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody three days after he was jailed in DeKalb County, agency spokesman Lindsay Williams said in an emailed statement. His case now goes to immigration court to determine whether Guevara, a native of El Salvador, can remain in the U.S. His attorney, Giovanni Diaz, has said that Guevara was doing his job and committed no crime when police arrested him. He also says Guevara has legal authorization to live and work in the U.S., and has a pending application for permanent residency. Diaz did not immediately return phone and email messages Wednesday. Guevara fled El Salvador two decades ago and built a large following as an independent journalist covering immigration in the Atlanta area. He was livestreaming video on social media Saturday from a DeKalb County rally protesting President Donald Trump's administration when local police arrested him. 'I'm a member of the media, officer,' Guevara tells a police officer right before he's arrested. The video shows Guevara wearing a bright red shirt under a protective vest with 'PRESS' printed across his chest. DeKalb County officials have said at least eight people were arrested during the Saturday demonstration, with police using tear gas to turn away protesters marching toward an interstate onramp. Guevara's video shows him standing on a sidewalk with other journalists, with no sign of big crowds or confrontations around him, right before he's arrested. Jail records show Guevara was charged with obstructing police, unlawful assembly and improperly entering a roadway. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Guevara's arrest and detention by ICE. 'His ongoing detention signals a frightening erosion of press freedom in the U.S.,' Katherine Jacobsen, the group's U.S. program coordinator, said in a statement. ICE's statement did not say why Guevara was being detained or where he would be held. Williams did not immediately respond to an email message asking those questions. Guevara fled El Salvador with his family in 2004, saying he was beaten and repeatedly harassed because of his work as a political reporter for the newspaper La Prensa Grafica. They immigrated to Georgia, where Guevara worked as a reporter for Georgia's largest Spanish-language newspaper, Mundo Hispanico, before launching his own online news site, MGNews. An immigration judge in 2012 denied Guevara's application for asylum and ordered him and his family to leave the country. However, ICE worked with Guevara's lawyer to close his case without deporting anyone. Diaz said it was resolved with Guevara receiving authorization to continue working in the U.S. Diaz has said Guevara has a strong case to remain in the U.S., though the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown has left the journalist's family worried. 'Under this administration, we don't know what that means for us,' Guevara's adult daughter, Katherine Guevara, said during a Tuesday news conference. 'Temporary legal status may not mean anything.' ___ Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.
Toronto Star
10 hours ago
- Toronto Star
ICE takes custody of Spanish-language journalist arrested at Georgia protest
U.S. immigration authorities said Wednesday they have detained a Spanish-language journalist, who will face deportation proceedings following his arrest on charges of obstructing police and unlawful assembly while covering a weekend protest outside Atlanta. Mario Guevara was turned over by police to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody three days after he was jailed in DeKalb County, agency spokesman Lindsay Williams said in an emailed statement. His case now goes to immigration court to determine whether Guevara, a native of El Salvador, can remain in the U.S.
Edmonton Journal
11 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Nezza's Spanish anthem at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support
Article content As fans removed their caps and stood for the national anthem Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, they were met with a surprising rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza stood in front of the crowd, closed her eyes and belted the song out — in Spanish. Her 90-second rendition, and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of team representatives discouraging it beforehand, quickly went viral and have become a flashpoint for Dodgers fans frustrated by the team's lack of vocal support for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids across the U.S., including numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Article content Article content Protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have captured international attention and mostly been held in areas a short drive from Dodger Stadium. Nezza says even after the discouragement from the team's representative, she hadn't yet decided whether to sing in English or Spanish until she walked out onto the field and saw the stands filled with Latino families in Dodger blue. 'This is my moment to show everyone that I am with them that we have a voice and with everything that's happening it's not OK. I'm super proud that I did it. No regrets,' the 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press. The team has yet to make a statement on the record regarding the arrests and raids. Manager Dave Roberts has said he doesn't know enough about the issue to comment, but Dodgers hitter Kike Hernandez separately spoke out on Instagram over the weekend. Article content 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' he said in a post in English and Spanish. 'I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' The response to Nezza's anthem performance In her viral TikTok video, Nezza is shown speaking with an off-camera Dodgers employee who tells her, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't transferred or if that wasn't relayed.' She's received an outpouring of support since Saturday from celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G and more. 'Don't you dare turn your backs on us now. We, as a city, have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium,' said Becky G, addressing the Dodgers in her Instagram story. Article content The Spanish-language version Nezza sang, 'El Pendon Estrellado,' is the official translation of the national anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias. Nezza says her manager immediately received a call from an unidentified Dodgers employee saying their clients were not welcome at the stadium again, but the baseball team said in a statement to the AP: 'There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance. She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.' The Dodgers' history with Latinos and immigrants in Los Angeles Dodger Stadium has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Many proudly wear Dodger blue jerseys and merchandise as an extension of their love for the city — the team still sells special 'Los Dodgers' jerseys on its official website — and attend the stadium's multiple heritage nights honoring Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan and more immigrant communities, including those from outside Latin America. The Dodgers' fan base is heavily Latino, and the team is among the select few to offer Spanish-language television broadcasts. Article content The franchise is also frequently praised for its history seeking out diverse talent, including Jackie Robinson (baseball's first Black player), Fernando Valenzuela (a Mexican icon who transcended baseball) and Chan Ho Park (the first Korean in the big leagues). But the relationship is not without tension, with some Mexican American and Latino residents resentful of the team's forceful eviction of Latino families in the 1950s to build Dodger Stadium in what is popularly known as Chavez Ravine. Fans have since called for a boycott online, while others say they'd be willing to return if the team spoke out. 'We love you. You've been so much a big part of our lives. … We would like to understand that you love us just the same. Or are we just money to you?' asked Power 106's Brown Bag Mornings host Letty Peniche in an Instagram video. Los Angeles resident Alora Murray is considering a temporary boycott. Article content 'Nobody is messing around about this,' said Murray. 'Los Angeles is built upon the Dodgers. For them to not kind of be with us, I feel like us boycotting or not going to games will send that message.' Fans cite inconsistencies about the Dodgers' political stances Many in the Latino community have been sharing videos of stadium security confronting fans who have political signs or messages on their clothing. Longtime Dodger fan Emeli Avalos says she doesn't believe the team is apolitical since they released a statement to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 'If it's really about staying out of politics, then why do they support that? But when people down the street from them are getting taken, kidnapped, why do they stay silent?' she said. Avalos attended Pride Night on June 13 wearing a shirt that said 'Abolish ICE' on the front and 'FDT' — an acronym for an expletive directed at President Donald Trump — on the back. In a popular TikTok video, Avalos is seen speaking with Dodgers security. She says she thought she was going to be asked to leave but was instead asked to cover the back of her shirt with her jersey. Article content 'They told me, 'The front is fine, you just gotta cover the back,'' said Avalos, who said she will not be returning to the stadium. Another video of a fan being confronted by security for holding a banner with 'ICE' crossed out circulated online over the weekend, furthering criticism of the team. When asked about the incidents, a Dodgers spokesperson pointed to the team's stadium guidelines, which state the team 'does not allow signs or banners of any kind.' Also prohibited is any attire the Dodgers deem — at their sole discretion — to be obscene, profane, vulgar, indecent, violent, threatening, abusive or prejudiced against any individual or group. Nezza does not think she will return to the stadium, despite the Dodgers' statement, but says she hopes her performance will inspire others to use their voice and speak out. 'It's just shown me like how much power there is in the Latin community,' she said. 'We gotta be the voice right now.' Latest National Stories
