Emilio Gutiérrez Soto (born ) is a U.S.-based Mexican journalist. He formerly worked for '' El Diario de el Noreste''. After reporting on allegations of corruption in the

Mexican Army The Mexican Army () is the combined Army, land and Air Force, air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army. The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National Defense o ...

, and reportedly receiving death threats, Gutiérrez fled to the United States with his son in 2008. He was the recipient of the 2017 John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award from the National Press Club. He is a 2018-2019 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

, despite being denied asylum on multiple occasions.

Early life and career in Mexico

Gutiérrez was born . He became a reporter for '' El Diario de el Noreste'', for which he wrote articles about allegations of corruption among the

in Chihuahua.

Asylum in the United States

Gutiérrez reportedly received death threats for his reporting in Mexico and he fled to the United States with his son, where he sought asylum at the Antelope Wells Port of Entry on June 16, 2008. In December 2017, Gutiérrez's request for asylum was denied, which is, according to Gutiérrez, almost a death sentence for him. Organizations like

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; ; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation, non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its a ...

, the National Press Club and the

Society of Professional Journalists The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is the oldest organization representing journalists in the United States. It was established on April 17, 1909, at DePauw University,2009 SPJ Annual Report, lette ...

vehemently opposed the court's decision. Gutiérrez was sent to a detention facility in Sierra Blanca, Texas, during his appeal. Gutiérrez was awarded the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award by the National Press Club on December 18, 2017, "on behalf of Mexico's besieged journalists." The ceremony was held remotely, by video conference. He was released from detention with his son in July 2018. In July 2018, Gutiérrez became a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

for the 2018-2019 academic year. On February 28, 2019, Texas Judge Robert Hough ordered Gutiérrez's deportation once again, arguing the decade-long hiatus since the publication of his articles would protect him. In March 2019, Republican Congressman

Fred Upton Frederick Stephen Upton (born April 23, 1953) is an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from Michigan from 1987 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he represented Kalamazoo, Michigan, ...

and Democratic Congresswoman

Debbie Dingell Deborah Ann Dingell ( ; ; November 23, 1953) is an American politician serving as a United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from Michigan since 2015, representing the state's Michigan's 6th congressional district, 6th congres ...

asked the

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the Un ...

not to deport Gutiérrez in a letter. A few days later, Gutiérrez spoke about his experience at an event on campus in Spanish. Gutiérrez Soto eventually was awarded asylee status in March 2024. Judge Nathan Herbert granted asylum to both Gutiérrez Soto and his son Oscar.

Personal life

Gutiérrez has a son, Oscar (born ).

References

Living people 1960s births Mexican male journalists 20th-century Mexican journalists 21st-century Mexican journalists Recipients of John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award {{Mexico-journalist-stub