Family members, journalism advocates and attorneys call for release of Mario Guevara

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Katherine Guevara calls for the release of her father at a news conference at the State Capitol Tuesday.

Credit: Sarah Kallis/GPB News

Attorneys, family members and journalism advocates gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to call for the release of Mario Guevara, a Spanish language journalist detained by immigration officials. 

While the original charges against Mario Guevara have been dropped, he remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody facing deportation to El Salvador. He was arrested at a protest in June and has been in custody ever since.

Katherine Guevara, Guevara's daughter, said life has been difficult while her father is detained. 

“Since he's been detained, our family has felt an emptiness that we cannot begin to fill," she said. "My mom is exhausted. My brothers and I feel like we're stuck in a nightmare."

While Guevara, who has a work permit, was granted bond by a judge in early July, ICE officers appealed the decision, so he remains in custody, his attorney said. Attorneys for Guevara are fighting the appeal and hope that he will eventually be released from Folkston ICE Processing Center where he is being held. 

A spokesperson for ICE declined to comment on Guevara.