American leaders have long condemned authoritarian regimes for jailing reporters like Khaled Mamdouh, an Egyptian journalist accused of "publishing and broadcasting fake news," among other fabricated charges. In his case, the Egyptian government continues to manipulate the law to detain him.

Now, the U.S. government is using its own draconian methods to detain Mario Guevara. The Committee to Protect Journalists says that he is the only journalist in custody in the U.S. for actions related to newsgathering.

On June 14, Guevara was arrested while live-streaming a protest near Atlanta. He was standing on a sidewalk when he briefly stepped onto the street, deemed off limits by police.

Wearing a red shirt marked “PRESS,” he identified himself to officers, saying, “I’m a member of the media.” Though Guevara is authorized to be in the U.S. after fleeing El Salvador two decades ago, he was arrested, and promptly handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

A judge granted him bond, but ICE refused to accept the $7,500 payment, shuffling Guevara through multiple jails in order to keep him locked up. He remains behind bars today.

Guevara’s arrest comes as President Trump is leading a sweeping, coordinated campaign to undermine press freedoms and dismantle First Amendment protections. Each week, the administration’s attacks grow........

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