Nashville Journalist Detained by ICE Without Warrant, Attorneys Claim

Federal immigration agents detained a Colombian journalist who works for Nashville Noticias while she was outside a gym with her husband. The reporter's legal team filed an emergency court petition claiming the arrest occurred without a warrant.

Federal immigration enforcement officers detained a local news reporter in Nashville without obtaining an arrest warrant, according to an emergency court filing submitted by the journalist’s legal representatives.

Estefany Maria Rodriguez Flores, who works for Nashville Noticias, remains held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility following her detention on Thursday, the news organization confirmed. ICE officials have not provided a response to requests for comment regarding the arrest.

The Colombian-born journalist has resided in the United States for five years and “frequently reports on stories critical of ICE,” according to documents filed by her attorneys in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

Nashville Noticias reported that federal agents surrounded the vehicle Rodriguez Flores and her husband were occupying outside a fitness center on Wednesday. The car displayed the news outlet’s logo, according to the organization.

Federal District Judge Eli Richardson has ordered immigration authorities to provide their initial response to the emergency legal petition by Friday. Rodriguez Flores had been scheduled to meet with ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations division on March 17, her legal team stated.

The detention comes amid President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts, which civil rights organizations claim infringe upon constitutional protections including free speech and due process guarantees.

Civil liberties advocates argue these policies have created dangerous conditions for both citizens and immigrants, particularly following two deadly encounters in January where federal agents fatally shot U.S. citizens in Minnesota.

Since the beginning of 2026, at least eight individuals have died while in ICE custody nationwide, adding to the 31 fatalities recorded in detention facilities during the previous year.

The Trump administration maintains that these enforcement measures are designed to reduce unauthorized immigration and strengthen national security.

Court documents reveal that Rodriguez Flores initially entered the United States using a tourist visa, subsequently applied for political asylum, and later married an American citizen. She currently possesses valid employment authorization, and both she and her spouse have petitioned to change her immigration status to permanent resident.