IRE urges the release of Nashville reporter by federal immigration authorities 

Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) urges the release of Estefany Rodríguez, a reporter with Nashville Noticias and Univision 42 Nashville, whose coverage has included immigration enforcement. She was taken into custody while in a marked news vehicle, according to Nashville Noticias.

Rodríguez, who faced death threats in her home country of Colombia, applied for political asylum in 2021, according to her attorney, who spoke with the Nashville Banner. The Banner reported that there was no warrant for her arrest. She is married to a U.S. citizen and has a pending asylum case, according to news reports.

The arrests and detention of journalists are blatant attacks on press freedom and meant to have a chilling effect on the willingness of journalists to cover events. We stand with Estefany and other journalists lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights. 

IRE, the nation’s largest journalism association, calls on the federal government to release Rodríguez and to acknowledge and affirm the rights of journalists across the country to report on the actions of the government and hold public officials accountable. 

IRE is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting and supporting the rights of investigative journalists. Through its rigorous training, IRE  fosters excellence in investigative journalism worldwide.