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| Estefany Rodríguez Florez |
Estefany Rodríguez Florez, a Colombian journalist for Nashville Noticias and Univision 42 who has reported critically on ICE activities, remains in ICE detention as of March 8, 2026, following her arrest on March 4 during a traffic stop outside a gym in south Nashville.
Her attorneys filed an emergency petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court, alleging the detention was retaliatory due to her journalism, violated her First Amendment rights, and involved an arrest without a proper judicial warrant.
They claim she was not shown any valid warrant at the time and that the administrative warrant later provided by ICE was incomplete or improper. Rodríguez, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in March 2021, has an active asylum case, a work permit, and is married to a U.S. citizen; her lawyers attribute the arrest partly to confusion or missed immigration appointments, which ICE cited as making her a flight risk.ICE maintains that Rodríguez-Florez is unlawfully present in the U.S. after overstaying her visa, describing the arrest as part of a "targeted enforcement operation." An ICE spokesperson confirmed she is an "illegal alien from Colombia" and stated she will receive due process.
Press freedom groups like PEN America have condemned the detention as an "alarming threat" to journalism. Rodríguez was initially held in an Alabama facility and reportedly faced transfer to Louisiana; her husband and supporters continue advocating for her release.
The case has drawn national attention, highlighting tensions around immigration enforcement, press freedom, and reporting on federal agencies under the current administration. No final resolution has been reached, and legal proceedings are ongoing.