The Winding Road
🧊 Timeline of Nashville woman detained by ICE · NES customers paying for CEO's security · Convention Center Authority approves tunnel access in SoBro · Much more!
Good afternoon, everyone. Timeline of Nashville woman detained by ICE... NES customers paying for CEO's security... Convention Center Authority approves tunnel access in SoBro... And much more!
The Battle for Nashville's Soul Join us tomorrow, March 26th, for a discussion with developer and advocate Chris Remke as we dig into the city's actions around zoning and property taxes. (Buy Ticket)
Like what we do? Forward us to a friend
Timeline: Detention & release of Estefany Rodriguez Flores
From Megan Podsiedlik
March 4 – Arrest
- Estefany Rodriguez Flores, a Nashville woman working for Nashville Noticias and Univision 42, was detained by ICE during a traffic stop on Murfreesboro Pike.
- ICE made the arrest as part of a “targeted enforcement operation” related to visa violations.
- According to DHS, Rodriguez Flores overstayed a tourist visa and had no lawful immigration status. Later, her lawyers argued that the agents did not present a warrant at the time of arrest.
Public backlash
- A coalition of 41 civil-society and press-freedom organizations condemned the detention, warning it could deter journalists from reporting on immigration enforcement.
Legal claims
- Rodriguez Flores’ attorneys filed an emergency petition in federal court, arguing:
-She has a valid work permit.
-She has a pending asylum claim and green card application.
-The arrest was retaliatory for her reporting on ICE. - Federal filing claims Rodriguez Flores had married a U.S. citizen 13 days after receiving a letter from ICE.
Counterarguments
- ICE said the arrest was routine immigration enforcement and unrelated to Rodriguez Flores' reporting, emphasizing she had missed immigration appointments, making her a flight risk.
- DHS states that Rodriguez Flores applied for authorization to work in the United States twice, but was only cleared through February 2024.
- Reports say it appears Rodriguez Flores was issued a REAL ID, even though Tennessee law prohibits illegal aliens from obtaining a driver’s license.
March 19 – Released on bond
- Rodriguez Flores was initially held in Alabama and later transferred to an ICE detention center in Louisiana.
- U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson moved to release Rodriguez Flores before the case moves forward.
- After two weeks in detention, an immigration judge set a $10,000 bond, which was posted.
- Rodriguez Flores was released, but her immigration case continues.
Attorneys from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and MIRA Legal, a Boston-based immigration legal services organization working nationally, are working on Estefany Rodriguez Flores’ case. Her representation helped coordinate the bond process and legal filings that led to her release.
A GoFundMe, set up by her husband Alejandro Medina, has raised almost $20,000 to support her.
✹ DOES NASHVILLE WANT YOU TO STAY?
The Zoning Phantom Leadeth the Taxman Zoning, land use, and property tax disputes have animated political discussions in Nashville since Mayor Freddie O'Connell first took office in September 2023.
Through his Substack, Built to Think, and organization, Save Our Nashville Neighborhoods, Chris Remke has emerged as the city’s most potent critic of the Metro agenda. He's effectively drawn attention to everything from Nashville’s inflated growth projections to the smoke-and-mirrors assurances given to homeowners about how upzoning would affect them, and most recently, the betrayal of local businesses now saddled with unwieldy tax bills.
Join us tomorrow evening, March 26th, for a wide-ranging discussion on what Metro is trying to achieve and where they've gone wrong.
This event is for the benefit of The Pamphleteer, Nashville, and priced with that in mind. Bard-level subscribers receive free admittance.
HEADLINES
- 🚨 NES customers are funding security at homes of CEO, COO as well as headquarters. Off-duty Metro Nashville police officers are providing 24-hour security for NES CEO Teresa Aplin-Broyles and 12-hour security for Chief Operating Officer Brent Baker at their homes and at NES headquarters, costing ratepayers more than $147,000 so far. (WSMV)
- ⛏️ Convention Center Authority and Boring Co. reach tunnel agreement. The city's Convention Center Authority has approved The Boring Company’s future access to and use of an easement along the west segment of the Music City Center property in SoBro. The General Assembly Legislation is still moving a bill that would create a Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority to oversee the Music City Loop project. (Post)
- ☑️ TN Immigration Enforcement Division distributes nearly $900,000 in law enforcement grants. Established last year, the office is responsible for overseeing state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement officials, and distributing grants to police departments and sheriffs that join the federal effort. (Lookout)
- 🎭 ‘Reacher’ star Alan Ritchson acted in self-defense during incident involving a man in Brentwood. The Brentwood Police Department, alongside the Williamson County District Attorney’s Office, confirmed that it has concluded its investigation into the incident involving Ritchson and Ronnie Taylor.(WSMV)
- 🏢 Metro seeks proposals to construct new jail facility. Metro is pursuing the construction of a new jail complex to replace two existing facilities on Harding Place. One of them has been unusable for six years, contributing to persistent overcrowding in Nashville’s jail system. (Banner)
- ✨ TN Bill requires trust funds for the children of influencers. If passed, the legislation would require some of the funds earned from social media content featuring children to be put into a trust. The bill has already passed the Senate and would also allow those children to request that content featuring them be deleted once they reach adulthood. (Scene)
✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH
Who bankrolls your councilmember? We analyzed every donation to every council member to show you whether they're funded by their constituents or someone else. Higher grades go to those who raise more money locally. (Take a Look)
DEVELOPMENT
- Rivergate Mall Redevelopment Begins In North Nashville (Now Next)
- Four Seasons restaurant sets April 10 opening (Post)
- Early 20th century Midtown building sells for $4M (Post)
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🎸 Madison Cunningham @ The Blue Room, 7p, $54.26, Info
🎻 Mozart’s Viola Quintet in G Minor @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, Choose What You Pay, Info
🎸 Seth Walker @ Eastside Bowl, 7p, $91, Info
🪕 Tin Pan South @ Multiple Venues, Info
💀 Tennessee Dead @ Tennessee Brew Works, 6p, Info
🪕 Bluegrass Night @ The American Legion Post 82, 7p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
The Pamphleteer
Finish Repealing Tennessee’s CON LawsToday's newsletter is brought to you by Davis Hunt, Megan Podsiedlik, and Camelia Brennan.