NASHVILLE, Tennessee — A Nashville-based journalist detained by federal immigration authorities is challenging her arrest in court, arguing the action violated her constitutional rights. Attorneys for Estefany Maria Rodríguez Florez filed new legal claims alleging the federal government infringed upon her First and Fifth Amendment rights when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained her last week.
Rodríguez, a reporter for Nashville Noticias, was arrested by ICE agents in south Nashville and is currently being held at a detention facility in Alabama. Federal officials allege she overstayed her visa, a claim her attorneys dispute. They argue the arrest was retaliatory because Rodríguez had recently reported critically on ICE enforcement activities.
In an amended petition filed in federal court, her attorneys requested that a judge order her release and block immigration authorities from taking enforcement actions that could punish or discourage her reporting. The filing states that ICE’s actions “serve to punish her for her public criticism” of the agency.
According to court documents, ICE agents surveilled Rodríguez as she left her home with her husband and young daughter before stopping the couple’s vehicle after dropping the child off at school. Her attorneys also contend the arrest was conducted without a warrant, though immigration officials have disputed that claim.
Rodríguez, originally from Colombia, entered the United States five years ago and applied for asylum after receiving threats related to her journalism. Her asylum case remains pending, and she recently applied for a green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen.
A federal judge scheduled a hearing for March 17 to review the case.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
