Dalton college student to provide update on immigration case after mistaken arrest
The Brief
A 19-year-old Dalton student who is facing possible deportation and her family are holding a press conference to discuss her case on Tuesday afternoon.
Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a Dalton teen brought to the U.S. as a child, was released from ICE custody last week after being mistakenly pulled over by police and detained for over two weeks.
Arias-Cristobal now faces a lengthy legal process, with her next hearing potentially more than a year away due to court backlogs.
ATLANTA - A 19-year-old Georgia college student whose arrest and possible future deportation have gained national attention will speak about her experience at a press conference on Tuesday.
Ximena Arias-Cristobal, who came to the United States illegally with her parents when she was 4 years old, her attorney, and her family will discuss her case and answer questions about what her future legal situation may be.
The backstory
Arias-Cristobal, a student at Dalton State College and a Mexican national, was arrested on May 5 for allegedly making an illegal right turn on red and driving without a license. She was initially booked into the Whitfield County Jail before being transferred to the Stewart Detention Center, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in southwest Georgia.
However, just days later, the City of Dalton dropped all charges after reviewing dashcam footage and determining she had been mistakenly identified. Officials confirmed her vehicle was not involved in the traffic violation that led to her arrest.
She spent nearly three weeks in ICE custody before an immigration judge granted her a $1,500 bond. She was released last Thursday and reunited with her family.
A day after her release, the officer that arrested her resigned from his position with the department. A letter reportedly posted on Facebook by Officer Leslie Allen O'Neal wife says that he resigned because of the police department's "inadequate response to and defense against public accusations of false arrest, which arose after a charge from a valid arrest was publicly dropped without explanation."
PREVIOUS STORIES
Dalton college student being held by ICE granted bond
Dalton college student still faces possibility of deportation in future
DHS defends ICE detainment of Georgia college student who violated traffic laws: 'Not ignoring rule of law'
What's next
Arias-Cristobal's case has gained national attention and renewed debate over how the U.S. handles immigration cases involving individuals brought to the country as children.
While out on an immigration bond for now, her attorney, Dustin Baxter, says that she and her father still face the possibility of deportation.
Baxter said that it could be at least a year before the Dalton college student's next hearing due to court backlogs and is also working on her father's case.
"Her father may be eligible for cancellation of removal because he's been in the U.S. for over a decade, has no criminal record, and meets other qualifications," Baxter said. "If he is granted legal status, she could potentially apply for a green card through him."
The family is holding a press conference at Baxter's office at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday. FOX 5 will be there to stream the event.
The Source
Information for this story came from a release by the attorney for Ximena Arias-Cristobal and previous FOX 5 reporting.
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