Statements

Authors Guild Condemns the Detention and Threatened Deportation of Journalist Mario Guevara

Free Speech

June 24, 2025

• Share
• on Twitter (opens in a new tab)
• on Facebook (opens in a new tab)
• on Linkedin (opens in a new tab)
• via email

The arrest and continued detention of Mario Guevara is a direct assault on freedom of the press and the constitutional principles that protect journalism in America. Arresting a journalist with press credentials for covering a breaking story of local and national interest is a misuse of legal authority that has no place in a democratic society. The misdemeanor charges of “obstruction” and “unlawful assembly brought against Guevara are pretextual when applied to a clearly identified journalist doing his job to inform the public. Courts have repeatedly held that the First Amendment provides special protections for newsgathering activities, even in situations where public access might be restricted.

Despite being released on recognizance by a municipal judge—standard practice for the misdemeanor charges he faces—Guevara remains in ICE detention, highlighting a troubling circumvention of judicial authority. His case exemplifies the dangerous erosion of due process when federal agencies override local court decisions, undermining the legal system’s fundamental checks and balances.

Guevara’s detention sends a clear message to journalists covering immigration enforcement and civil rights issues: Report on these topics at your own risk. This creates a chilling effect that will inevitably lead to less coverage of stories the public needs to know about, particularly those affecting vulnerable communities who rely on independent journalists to document their experiences. When reporters fear deportation for doing their jobs, entire communities lose their voice, and the public loses access to critical information about government actions and civil rights violations.

We call on authorities to immediately release Mario Guevara and to cease targeting journalists who serve the vital function of keeping the public informed about matters of urgent public concern.