NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Federal immigration officials have detained a Colombian journalist who works for a Spanish-language media outlet in Tennessee, sparking a legal dispute over whether proper arrest procedures were followed.
Estefany Rodriguez Flores, who reports for Nashville Noticias and has published stories examining ICE practices, was taken into custody Wednesday when immigration agents stopped the vehicle she was traveling in. She remains held by ICE’s enforcement and removal division, according to federal court filings in Nashville.
Court documents filed Friday show conflicting accounts about whether agents possessed a valid arrest warrant during the detention.
Rodriguez’s attorney argues that no arrest warrant was displayed during the stop, only paperwork directing her to report to ICE offices. Legal documents indicate her lawyer spoke with an ICE representative who confirmed no arrest warrant existed at the time of detention.
Federal attorneys representing ICE counter these claims, stating in their own court filing that officials obtained a proper arrest warrant for Rodriguez on Monday. They also assert her visa allowing her to remain in the United States had lapsed, making “her arrest and detention” lawful under federal regulations.
The 29-year-old journalist entered the country through legal channels and has resided in the United States for five years, her legal team states. She possesses valid employment authorization and has submitted applications for political asylum as well as legal residency through her American citizen spouse.
According to Nashville Noticias, Rodriguez and her husband were traveling in a clearly marked company vehicle when multiple cars surrounded them and she was transported to a detention facility.
ICE officials have not responded to requests for comment on the case.
Prior to her arrest, Rodriguez had scheduled meetings with ICE regarding her immigration status that were postponed twice – first due to winter weather closing offices, then because an agent could not locate her appointment in the computer system, legal documents reveal. A replacement meeting had been arranged for March 17.
Rodriguez began working with Nashville Noticias in 2022, where she covers community affairs, family matters, health topics, law enforcement, and immigration policy.
The news organization issued a statement saying Rodriguez “needs to reunite with her young daughter and husband to continue her legal process within the framework permitted by law.”
Her legal representatives have filed motions seeking her immediate release, while federal prosecutors have asked the court to reject this request.
