Overview
- In a March 17 filing, Justice Department lawyers argued Estefany Rodríguez, a Colombian journalist, is not covered by the First Amendment, countering her claim that ICE retaliated against her reporting.
- An immigration judge granted her $10,000 bond on March 16, but ICE appealed the order and she remains in custody at a Louisiana detention facility.
- Rodríguez was arrested on March 4 in Nashville while sitting in a car marked with her outlet’s logo, with her attorneys calling the stop targeted and warrantless as ICE attributes the case to missed check-ins.
- Court filings describe five days in isolation and an incident involving a chemical poured on her head that burned her eyes, while her attorney reports limited communication that has hindered her defense.
- Press freedom groups CPJ and RSF called for her immediate release and warned the case underscores risks faced by migrant journalists in the United States.