National Press Club: News Briefing On Mexican Journalist's 15-Year Asylum Case Outside El Paso Federal Building Monday, March 18

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --

News Advisory:

On Monday, March 18 an important asylum hearing will take place at the Federal Building in El Paso, 700 E. San Antonio St., Suite 750.

This hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 8:30 am (MDT), may conclude a 15-year struggle for Mexican journalist Emilio Gutierrez Soto and his son, Oscar who fled Mexico under death threats in 2008, entered the US via a legal port of entry, and declared for asylum using proper, legal practices. During those 15 years, Emilio and Oscar suffered forced separation, two long periods of detention and attempted deportation. They lived under constant threat of deportation during this time. 

In late 2023 the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) overturned the deportation ruling by former El Paso Immigration Judge Robert S. Hough, clearing a path to asylum for Emilio. The March 18 hearing is expected to affirm the BIA ruling.

In El Paso, and at the court to witness the final asylum hearing will be:

Eduardo Beckett of El Paso, Emilio's immigration attorney along with his clients, Emilio Gutierrez Soto and Oscar Gutierrez Soto.

Lynette Clemetson, Director, Wallace House Center for Journalists and the Knight-Wallace Fellowships, University of Michigan. Emilio was a 2018-2019 Knight-Wallace fellow.

Kathy Kiely. Lee Hills Chair of Free Press Studies at the University of Missouri and plaintiff in the National Press Club Journalism Institute's FOIA case against ICE.

Bill McCarren of the National Press Club in Washington, DC, which has supported Emilio's case over many years. In 2017, the NPC recognized the journalists of Mexico with a John Aubuchon Press Freedom award and invited Emilio to accept the award on their behalf. McCarren, Beckett. Clemetson and Kiely are all members of the National Press Club.

Media wishing to attend the post-hearing briefing should gather outside the Federal Building about 9:45 a.m. To arrange interviews with Emilio or his support team contact Bill McCarren at [email protected] or 202-725-7787.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected]

SOURCE National Press Club