“The Torment Is Daily”: Mario Guevara Speaks Out About His Detention and Harrowing ICE Experience

• Mario Guevara Fights Deportation Amid Harsh Conditions
• Unjust Treatment of Latino Immigrants Highlighted
• Isolation, Legal Struggles, and Lack of Diplomatic Support

Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara, detained since mid-June, continues his legal battle against deportation despite facing extreme confinement conditions in a U.S. immigration detention center.

Guevara, who was arrested by authorities in Doraville and DeKalb County, has refused to sign a voluntary departure order. Instead, he remains committed to pursuing his case, even if it means enduring prolonged incarceration.

On Friday, July 18, Univision released new images of Mario Guevara from the Federal Correctional Institution in Atlanta.

They showed him in a yellow prison uniform and visibly affected by the conditions of his confinement.

«The System Is Doing What It Wants with Us»

EN EXCLUSIVA con Univision 34, el periodista Mario Guevara revela lo que ha vivido a casi un mes de reclusión y alza la voz contra el trato a los migranteshttps://t.co/feAlrD8gZO

— Noticias Univision 21 Fresno (@noticias21) July 19, 2025

In an exclusive interview with Univision 34, Guevara sharply criticized the treatment of immigrants in federal detention centers: “I was there two nights, and in less than 24 hours, they took $120 from me,” he stated.

He expressed concern about the systemic mistreatment of detained immigrants, saying the current administration appears to be operating without accountability.

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“I’ve realized how the system and the current administration are basically doing whatever they want with us immigrants — the most vulnerable among us.”

Mario Guevara, who has lived in the U.S. for more than 22 years, held a valid work permit and had no criminal record prior to his arrest.

Mario Guevara Criticizes Harsh Conditions and Criminal Treatment

Despite his clean record, Guevara says he has been treated as a repeat offender:

“I thought I was safe because I hadn’t committed any crimes. But apparently, that doesn’t matter.”

From his solitary confinement cell, Mario Guevara described living in an 8-by-12-foot space, where he is locked in for 22 hours a day, with only two hours of access to fresh air and sunlight.

He also reported sharing the facility with violent inmates, witnessing frequent physical and verbal altercations.

Silence from Bukele’s Administration

“The torment is daily, but even that doesn’t compare to what I experienced in federal prison. Those two and a half days were torture. I was surrounded by criminals.”

Mario Guevara criticized ICE’s practice of detaining immigrants in facilities that also house individuals convicted of serious crimes such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

“Many of us immigrants are here for minor infractions, but we are exposed to the same brutal penal system.”

While Guevara has remained in communication with El Salvador’s consulate, he says he has received no response from President Nayib Bukele’s administration. He had previously sent a formal letter requesting diplomatic intervention in his case.