Mario Guevara, an Emmy award-winning immigrant journalist, claims he may be “the first” journalist deported by the Trump administration while actively working. However, he foresees that he won’t be the last. “Just be careful because immigration agents are very aggressive,” Guevara cautioned during a recent virtual interview from El Salvador with News. He warned fellow immigrant journalists about the dangers posed by an administration that has consistently undermined the credibility of the media.

Guevara’s remarks came as he discussed his deportation, which occurred on October 3, amid a continued federal immigration crackdown under Trump. Just days after Guevara’s interview, British journalist Sami Hamdi was taken into custody by immigration authorities at San Francisco International Airport, allegedly facing deportation for previous critical commentary about Israel.

“We are journalists – we strive for objectivity, but we must report the truth,” Guevara stated. “They can perceive us as adversaries, even when that’s not the case.” He emphasized that journalists could face retaliation for their reporting, a bitter reality he faced personally.

Guevara had made a name for himself in Atlanta over the past two decades after fleeing El Salvador in 2004 to escape leftist militias. Despite holding a work permit and having two U.S. citizen children, his life changed dramatically while covering a protest against Trump in June.

On that day, he reported on an anti-Trump demonstration outside Atlanta. Local authorities responded aggressively, leading to his arrest after an officer overheard him speaking Spanish. Guevara indicated that he suspected his Latino identity played a role in his targeting that day, noting, “I saw them watching me.”

Although local prosecutors dismissed charges from his arrest, immigration judges denied Guevara’s asylum request back in 2012. After filing an appeal that remained undecided, his case faced renewed scrutiny. The Trump administration successfully reopened Guevara’s immigration case, resulting in his deportation.

Guevara recounted that on the eve of his deportation, he was given only 20 minutes to bid farewell to family members in the U.S. His treatment mirrored the violence he experienced while reporting in El Salvador. “It’s not how I wanted to return to my country – deported like a criminal,” he lamented. Despite his frustrations, Guevara maintained hope, believing in the justice system of the United States.

In his final remarks, Guevara articulated his desire to return to the U.S., where he owned a home and was pursuing legal permanent residency at the time of his deportation. “I worked hard for the past 20 years. I have my own home, my cars – living the American dream,” he said. “But in an instant, everything changed for me.”