ICE arrests Univision journalist Estefany Maria Rodriguez

Journalist Estefany María Rodríguez Flores was arrested on Wednesday, March 4, by agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the city of Nashville, according to CNN. Rodríguez is part of the Spanish-language media outlet Nashville Noticias and also collaborates with Univision 42 Nashville. According to a statement from the media outlet itself, the arrest occurred during a traffic stop in front of a gym while she was with her husband, Alejandro Medina. “The agents demanded that our colleague be taken into custody for reasons that the legal team will detail later. Estefany Rodríguez was transferred to a detention center,” Nashville Noticias indicated in the statement. The media outlet highlighted that the journalist joined its editorial staff in 2022, where she has covered social issues, health, safety, family, and immigration. Medina told CNN that several vehicles surrounded the car they were traveling in at the time of the operation. “We really didn’t understand why they were surrounding us,” he said. “We are very shocked.” Rodríguez was born in Colombia and, according to one of his lawyers cited by CNN, entered the United States legally. His defense also indicated that the journalist has published critical reports about ICE practices and that the day before his arrest he was covering immigration operations.

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The journalist’s husband added that the agents seemed to have information about the couple, including that he was born in the United States and that they had both started the process to obtain permanent residency. Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell reacted to the case through a statement sent to CNN. “Estefany Rodríguez has contributed to keeping our community informed. She is a competent journalist whose work promotes mutual understanding,” he expressed. “I hope the legal process allows for a quick return to her family.” According to her lawyer, Joel Coxander, Rodriguez was transferred to a detention center in Alabama. Until Saturday, there was no evidence that she had been moved to another facility, although there is a possibility that she will be transferred to Louisiana.