A Spanish‑language reporter who covers immigration and community news in Nashville was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this week, raising concerns among press freedom advocates and civil liberties groups about due process and enforcement tactics.
Estefany Rodriguez Florez, a Colombian journalist with the Tennessee news outlet Nashville Noticias, was taken into custody Wednesday during a traffic stop in Nashville, according to court documents and statements from her attorney. ICE officials say the arrest was part of an enforcement operation tied to alleged visa violations.
Rodriguez, who has lived in the United States for about five years, has a valid work permit and has been pursuing legal residency through her marriage to a U.S. citizen. Court records filed by her lawyer say she also sought asylum after previously receiving death threats related to her reporting in Colombia.
Her attorney’s emergency court filing contends Rodriguez was not shown a judicial arrest warrant at the time she was detained, and instead only received an immigration notice to appear before ICE. Advocates argue the arrest undermines journalistic independence and could chill coverage of immigration issues.
ICE officials have defended the detention, telling reporters Rodriguez was arrested under an “administrative warrant” and that she will receive due process in immigration proceedings. The agency also asserts her visa had expired.
Rodriguez’s work for Nashville Noticias has included reporting on police, community and immigration issues affecting the region’s Spanish‑speaking population, and supporters say her arrest could send a troubling signal to journalists covering similar beats. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists condemned the arrest and called for her release so she can continue her work.
🚨 NAHJ denounces the detention of Nashville reporter Estefany Rodríguez.
Rodríguez has lived and worked lawfully in the U.S. since 2021 while pursuing political asylum.
Journalists must be able to report without intimidation.
Read more: https://t.co/5YAIlAwmBV pic.twitter.com/PMWSKD5wNG
— NAHJ (@NAHJ) March 6, 2026
Her detention has prompted advocacy from press freedom and immigrant rights organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, which urged authorities to release Rodriguez and ensure protections for reporters.
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Rodriguez remains in ICE custody as her case moves through federal court, where attorneys are pressing for her release and arguing that constitutional rights were violated in the handling of her arrest.
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