NASHVILLE, Tennessee — A journalist detained earlier this month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been released after spending 15 days in custody, raising renewed debate over immigration enforcement and press freedom. Estefany Rodríguez, a reporter for Nashville Noticias, was freed Thursday from a Louisiana detention facility after a judge set bond at $10,000.
Rodríguez, originally from Colombia, had been living in the United States for five years with a valid work permit and pending asylum and residency applications. Federal officials said she was detained due to an expired tourist visa dating back to 2021, while her attorneys argue she was taken into custody without a judicial warrant and denied timely access to legal counsel.
According to court filings, Rodríguez was initially held in Alabama before being transferred to Louisiana, where she was placed in isolation for several days and subjected to treatment her legal team described as abusive. Her attorneys also stated she was unable to contact them for roughly 10 days following her arrest.
Advocacy groups, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, called for her release, citing concerns about targeting journalists covering immigration enforcement. Rodríguez had reportedly covered ICE operations shortly before her arrest, including activity at a Nashville traffic court.
Her case continues as she challenges her detention and seeks to remain in the United States.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
