Salvadoran construction worker arrested by ICE at Nashville gas station on his birthday, held without charges
May 15, 2025·Location: Nashville, TN
Country of origin: El Salvador

Edgardo David Campos, a 55-year-old Salvadoran man who has lived in the United States for 30 years, was arrested by ICE agents in tactical gear at a gas station in South Nashville in early May on his birthday. A Tennessee state trooper was present during the arrest, which was captured on video by bystander Dinora Romero, who helped locate his family and return his vehicle to his home. Campos is a construction and tire installation worker and devoted family man married with a wife. His cousin Laura Campos described him as "the first to arrive and the last to leave" at his church, always willing to volunteer and help others. The Nashville Catholic Diocese and local parishioners rallied around him, with a parish petition describing him as the "heart of our parish" who has faithfully served in multiple church ministries for years. The arrest was part of "Operation Flood the Zone," a coordinated week-long effort between Tennessee state police and ICE targeting Latino neighborhoods, during which over 600 vehicles were stopped and ICE claimed nearly 200 arrests. Campos was held at Putnam County Jail over the weekend with no charges filed, then transferred to Knox County Jail where charges remained unfiled. Spanish-speaking parishes in Nashville saw a 50% drop in Mass attendance following the operation.
Timeline
Sources
- Tennessee said yes to ICE—and turned into a deportation state
- ‘First to arrive, last to leave:’ Man detained by ICE in Nashville is a beloved church member, family says
WSMV·May 14, 2025·archived copy
- eu.poconorecord.com
- Video shows man being pulled from his car and detained in ICE, THP operations
WSMV·May 11, 2025·archived copy
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