In the midst of the controversy over the arrest and immigration proceedings faced by Hispanic journalist Mario Guevara, his attorney, Giovanni Diaz, came out publicly to clarify his client’s legal situation and deny rumors about his immigration status.
In a video posted on Mario Guevara’s official Facebook page, the lawyer himself explained in detail that Guevara has a valid work permit and has a strong case to regularize his immigration status in the United States.
Mario Guevara’s immigration status
“Mario does have permission to be here, he has permission to work, and he also has a strong case that allows him to have an option for permanent residency,” Giovanni Diaz stressed.
The lawyer responded to reports that Guevara had been in an irregular situation for years.
Even the DHS itself published on its official X account that the Salvadoran journalist does not have legal status in the country.
Diaz also confirmed that the journalist is currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Georgia.
This after being arrested on June 14 in DeKalb County while covering an immigrant rights protest.
“He is now in deportation proceedings, but we are going to fight. He has the right to a hearing in front of an immigration judge, and at that hearing we will prove his eligibility to stay,” Diaz said.
What is Mario Guevara’s real status?
The legal representative made it clear that this is not a new case, but an immigration process that Mario Guevara has been handling for several years.
As he explained, the Salvadoran journalist was benefited at the time by an administrative closure process.
Mario Guevara currently has legal grounds to apply for adjustment of status, thanks to his U.S. citizen son and his roots in the community.
“I don’t want to go into all the details out of respect for Mario’s privacy, but I do want people to know that it is not true that he doesn’t have papers or that he is here illegally as some say,” the lawyer added.
Latino community on alert
Buzzy
The Mario Guevara case has generated great concern among the Hispanic community in Georgia and in other cities across the country.
Organizations of journalists and civil rights defenders have denounced that his detention could be a reprisal for his work reporting on immigration raids.
For his part, the lawyer reiterated his commitment to continue defending Guevara on all fronts:
We know that this is a complicated case, but we have hope and we will continue to fight for his freedom and his right to stay in this country
