Rodríguez is known for his November 2011 arrest at an Occupy Wall Street rally, and was profiled for the act in Time's 2011 Person of the Year issue.

Rodríguez was born in the Dominican Republic and moved from his hometown of Licey al Medio to New York City when he was 18 years old.

While working as a taxi driver,[2] Rodriguez earned his bachelor's degree in political science at the City College of New York.

[17] Rodriguez was featured in Time Magazine's Person of the Year issue in 2011, included for his role in the Occupy Wall Street movement.

[22] In 2014 the hiring by Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Feniosky Pena-Mora of Rodríguez's wife Christina Melendez as a special assistant to the agency with a $150,000-a-year salary sparked controversy[23] Employees at DDC twice complained in writing to Mayor Bill de Blasio that the commissioner was engaging in patronage and hiring "cronies".

[23] In February 2016, residents of his district expressed unhappiness with Rodriguez's assertion that he needed to be paid at least $175,000 to support his family, rather than the then-current base salary of $112,500, which was already being raised 32% to $148,500.

[24][25][26] In 2016, Rodríguez sponsored a bill that was signed into law that eliminated the requirement that New York City taxi drivers take an English proficiency exam.

[29] In 2019, Rodríguez declared his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives in New York's 15th congressional district following the retirement of 30-year incumbent José E.