ICE arrests US Spanish-language news outlet reporter without warrant | ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a reporter for a Spanish-language Tennessee news outlet who reported stories critical of the agency; but the agents did not have a search warrant, according to court documents recently filed by his attorney.
A lawsuit filed by ICE on Friday challenges the reporter’s claim that he was detained without a warrant.
Estefany Rodriguez Florez of Nashville Noticias, who filed reports that left ICE unsatisfied, was arrested during a traffic stop on Wednesday. He is being detained as part of ICE’s enforcement and removal operations, according to documents filed in federal court in Nashville.
His lawyers called for his immediate release, but ICE asked the judge to deny the request.
Court records submitted by his attorney show that Rodriguez, a Colombian citizen, entered the United States legally and has been living in the United States for the past five years. He has a valid work permit and has applied for political asylum and legal status through his wife, a US citizen. The reason for the asylum request is not specified in the document submitted by his lawyer.
In the statement made by the news source, it was stated that while Rodriguez was in a vehicle marked Nashville Noticias with her husband, the vehicle was surrounded by other vehicles and taken to a detention center.
His lawyers said in court documents that ICE had scheduled a meeting with Rodriguez regarding his case, but that it had been rescheduled twice; The first was because the office was closed during a winter storm, and the second was because an agent couldn’t find her appointment in the system.
A new meeting was then scheduled for March 17.
No arrest warrant was shown to Rodriguez when he was arrested; he was only shown an immigration document telling him to appear before ICE. His attorney, Joel Coxander, met with an ICE agent who stated that there was no warrant for his arrest at the time of his arrest, his attorney said in court documents.
However, the lawsuit filed by the ICE lawyer stated that a valid arrest warrant was issued for Rodriguez on Monday and that his visa allowing him to stay in the United States had expired. His arrest and detention “did not violate any law or regulation,” the filing said.
ICE spokeswoman Melissa Egan said in a statement that Rodriguez was arrested during a “targeted enforcement operation” and will remain in custody while his case plays out in court.
The news outlet’s statement stated that Rodriguez joined Nashville Noticias in 2022, covering social, family, health, police and immigration issues.
“He needs to be reunited with his young daughter and wife in order to continue his legal process within the framework permitted by law,” the statement said.
