A journalist arrested while covering a protest in metro Atlanta earlier this month was picked up by immigration agents Monday from the Floyd County Jail.
Charges against Mario Alexander Guevara, 47, were dropped, though he continues to face potential deportation. The Floyd County Jail log listed him Sunday as being held in the medical wing as a boarder for ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, with no bond set.
A Floyd County SheriffÐÔÊӽ紫ý Office spokesman said ICE agents picked up Guevara at around 3 p.m. Monday but did not say where they were taking him.
Guevara is among a number of men recently brought in from Atlanta by ICE and held without charges listed.
Twelve — logged as “Hispanic or Latino†and “homeless†— were brought in Saturday. The name of one 36-year-old man was not listed. The others are Henry Mejia-Bonilla, 58; Marcos Zacharias, 33; Rony Jesus Lopez, 36; Pascasio Rios Ruiz, 42; Gerson Aguilar-Lopez, 39; Antolin Honorato Vicente, 41; Christian Sulgero, 28; Nicolas Perez-Martinez, 28; Esvin Lopez-Juarez, 25; Camel Nassour-Flores, 38; and Francisco Marco-Lorenzo, 19.
Guevara, who is originally from El Salvador, was initially arrested at a June 14 protest held to demonstrate opposition to the Trump administrationÐÔÊӽ紫ý immigration policies. He was charged with unlawful assembly, obstruction of a law enforcement officer and improperly entering a roadway, all of which are misdemeanors.
DeKalb County Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling announced June 25 that her office had dismissed those charges.
GuevaraÐÔÊӽ紫ý arrest and detainment has First Amendment defenders. The Committee to Protect Journalists and other free press advocates sent a to ÐÔÊӽ紫ý Secretary of ÐÔÊӽ紫ýland Security Kristi Noem urging her to facilitate GuevaraÐÔÊӽ紫ý release.
Guevara has lived in the ÐÔÊӽ紫ý for about 20 years. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Guevara has work authorization and the ability to gain a green card through his son, who is a ÐÔÊӽ紫ý citizen, but Guevara does not have permanent legal status here.
A review of the video evidence showed that Guevara was generally in compliance with the directives of law enforcement agencies at the protest and did not appear to intend to disregard any of those directives, according to a press release from Coleman-StriblingÐÔÊӽ紫ý office.
Guevara was wearing a vest marking him as a member of the press when he was arrested. He can also be heard on his livestream of the protest identifying himself as a reporter to law enforcement.
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