Latest news with #Arias-Cristobal
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention
A Georgia teen detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after wrongfully being arrested said she forgives the police officer who mistakenly pulled her over for a traffic violation she did not commit. "I think he needed to do what he needed to do. He knows why he did it and I think, as from my standpoint, I don't hold a grudge against him. As a Christian I think the Bible says forgive those who wrong you, and I forgive him," Ximena Arias-Cristobal said at a press conference Wednesday. Arias-Cristobal, 19, was arrested on May 5 in Dalton, Georgia, when her dark gray truck was mistaken for a black pickup that made an illegal turn. Those citations were later dropped once officials realized there was a mix-up, Dalton Assistant Police Chief Chris Crossen said. But, she was still detained by ICE after it was discovered she was an undocumented immigrant. She was released on bond last week. Officer Leslie O'Neal has resigned from his position at the Dalton Police Department, the communications director for the City of Dalton, Georgia, confirmed to ABC News. MORE: Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken arrest says detention was 'life-changing' Arias-Cristobal said immigrants at the Stewart Detention Center, where she was held, are "treated like we're the worst criminals ever" and acknowledged that others have also been treated unjustly. "I know everything that I'm going through is something that's very unjust, and it's not only my case, but millions of people are going through this in the United States. At Stewart, I met a lot of people that are going through tougher situations than me, and I think they deserve justice because they are not criminals,' she said. "There's a lot of very sad cases in there, mine is just a speck of what you see and that's the sad truth," she said. Despite forgiving the officer for her arrest, she said he acted "very unprofessional with his words" and "unprofessional with how he treated me." She said the incident has changed her world. 'It kind of flips your world. ... Before we lived in fear, now a lot more," she said. "It's making people feel a little bit more entitled. With everything going on in the government, people just feel like their feelings can be poured out, and because of that, we feel as if we're more like targets in our community, and we're scared to go out, and we don't feel as comfortable as we used to before," Arias-Cristobal said. MORE: Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken traffic stop granted bond: Attorney The Dalton State College student said her arrest has put her life on "pause." She is choosing to continue her studies in fall 2025, but she said her faith in God and her family have kept her going. 'I know my parents came here with the dream to give me and my sisters a better future, and that's exactly what they achieved. Unfortunately, we are in the situation we are right now, but knowing that my parents moved from another country with nothing in their pockets and gave me the life they so much wanted for themselves keeps me going because they crossed a literal river with me to be able to give me the life I have,' she said. Arias-Cristobal's lawyers said they're looking into the possibility of applying for a U visa, which may be a pathway to legal status for Arias-Cristobal and her family stemming from the wrongful arrest, according to attorney Dustin Baxter. The U visa is a special type of visa that is offered to some victims of abuse or crimes who help law enforcement with investigations. "We have concerns based on a number of different things, how the arrest was carried out, what was put in the arrest report that obviously wasn't true, and some things that happened right after, resulting in his resignation about the legality of this stop and then arrest," Baxter said. "She should never have been arrested and she should never have been taken to Stewart," he said. Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention originally appeared on
3 days ago
Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention
A Georgia teen detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after wrongfully being arrested said she forgives the police officer who mistakenly pulled her over for a traffic violation she did not commit. "I think he needed to do what he needed to do. He knows why he did it and I think, as from my standpoint, I don't hold a grudge against him. As a Christian I think the Bible says forgive those who wrong you, and I forgive him," Ximena Arias-Cristobal said at a press conference Wednesday. Arias-Cristobal, 19, was arrested on May 5 in Dalton, Georgia, when her dark gray truck was mistaken for a black pickup that made an illegal turn. Those citations were later dropped once officials realized there was a mix-up, Dalton Assistant Police Chief Chris Crossen said. But, she was still detained by ICE after it was discovered she was an undocumented immigrant. She was released on bond last week. Officer Leslie O'Neal has resigned from his position at the Dalton Police Department, the communications director for the City of Dalton, Georgia, confirmed to ABC News. Arias-Cristobal said immigrants at the Stewart Detention Center, where she was held, are "treated like we're the worst criminals ever" and acknowledged that others have also been treated unjustly. "I know everything that I'm going through is something that's very unjust, and it's not only my case, but millions of people are going through this in the United States. At Stewart, I met a lot of people that are going through tougher situations than me, and I think they deserve justice because they are not criminals,' she said. "There's a lot of very sad cases in there, mine is just a speck of what you see and that's the sad truth," she said. Despite forgiving the officer for her arrest, she said he acted "very unprofessional with his words" and "unprofessional with how he treated me." She said the incident has changed her world. 'It kind of flips your world. ... Before we lived in fear, now a lot more," she said. "It's making people feel a little bit more entitled. With everything going on in the government, people just feel like their feelings can be poured out, and because of that, we feel as if we're more like targets in our community, and we're scared to go out, and we don't feel as comfortable as we used to before," Arias-Cristobal said. The Dalton State College student said her arrest has put her life on "pause." She is choosing to continue her studies in fall 2025, but she said her faith in God and her family have kept her going. 'I know my parents came here with the dream to give me and my sisters a better future, and that's exactly what they achieved. Unfortunately, we are in the situation we are right now, but knowing that my parents moved from another country with nothing in their pockets and gave me the life they so much wanted for themselves keeps me going because they crossed a literal river with me to be able to give me the life I have,' she said. Arias-Cristobal's lawyers said they're looking into the possibility of applying for a U visa, which may be a pathway to legal status for Arias-Cristobal and her family stemming from the wrongful arrest, according to attorney Dustin Baxter. The U visa is a special type of visa that is offered to some victims of abuse or crimes who help law enforcement with investigations. "We have concerns based on a number of different things, how the arrest was carried out, what was put in the arrest report that obviously wasn't true, and some things that happened right after, resulting in his resignation about the legality of this stop and then arrest," Baxter said. "She should never have been arrested and she should never have been taken to Stewart," he said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention
A Georgia teen detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcements after wrongfully being arrested said she forgives the police officer who mistakenly pulled her over for a traffic violation she did not commit. "I think he needed to do what he needed to do. He knows why he did it and I think, as from my standpoint, I don't hold a grudge against him. As a Christian I think the Bible says forgive those who wrong you, and I forgive him," Ximena Arias-Cristobal said at a press conference Wednesday. Arias-Cristobal, 19, was arrested on May 5 in Dalton, Georgia, when her dark gray truck was mistaken for a black pickup that made an illegal turn. Those citations were later dropped once officials realized there was a mix-up, Dalton Assistant Police Chief Chris Crossen said. But, she was still detained by ICE after it was discovered she was an undocumented immigrant. She was released on bond last week. Officer Leslie O'Neal has resigned from his position at the Dalton Police Department, the communications director for the City of Dalton, Georgia, confirmed to ABC News. MORE: Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken arrest says detention was 'life-changing' Arias-Cristobal said immigrants at the Stewart Detention Center, where she was held, are "treated like we're the worst criminals ever" and acknowledged that others have also been treated unjustly. "I know everything that I'm going through is something that's very unjust, and it's not only my case, but millions of people are going through this in the United States. At Stewart, I met a lot of people that are going through tougher situations than me, and I think they deserve justice because they are not criminals,' she said. "There's a lot of very sad cases in there, mine is just a speck of what you see and that's the sad truth," she said. Despite forgiving the officer for her arrest, she said he acted "very unprofessional with his words" and "unprofessional with how he treated me." She said the incident has changed her world. 'It kind of flips your world. ... Before we lived in fear, now a lot more," she said. "It's making people feel a little bit more entitled. With everything going on in the government, people just feel like their feelings can be poured out, and because of that, we feel as if we're more like targets in our community, and we're scared to go out, and we don't feel as comfortable as we used to before," Arias-Cristobal said. MORE: Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken traffic stop granted bond: Attorney The Dalton State College student said her arrest has put her life on "pause." She is choosing to continue her studies in fall 2025, but she said her faith in God and her family have kept her going. 'I know my parents came here with the dream to give me and my sisters a better future, and that's exactly what they achieved. Unfortunately, we are in the situation we are right now, but knowing that my parents moved from another country with nothing in their pockets and gave me the life they so much wanted for themselves keeps me going because they crossed a literal river with me to be able to give me the life I have,' she said. Arias-Cristobal's lawyers said they're looking into the possibility of applying for a U visa, which may be a pathway to legal status for Arias-Cristobal and her family stemming from the wrongful arrest, according to attorney Dustin Baxter. The U visa is a special type of visa that is offered to some victims of abuse or crimes who help law enforcement with investigations. "We have concerns based on a number of different things, how the arrest was carried out, what was put in the arrest report that obviously wasn't true, and some things that happened right after, resulting in his resignation about the legality of this stop and then arrest," Baxter said. "She should never have been arrested and she should never have been taken to Stewart," he said. Georgia teen forgives officer who wrongly arrested her leading to ICE detention originally appeared on
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US police officer resigns after wrongfully arresting undocumented teen
A Georgia police officer resigned from his job on Friday after erroneously pulling over a teenager, causing her to spend more than two weeks in a federal immigration jail, and leaving her facing deportation. The officer, Leslie O'Neal, was employed at the police department in Dalton, a small city more than an hour north of Atlanta. His arrest of college student Ximena Arias-Cristobal not only led to a domino effect that could lead to her deportation – it also engendered anger and criticism, especially given the circumstances of her immigration-related detention. Though Dalton's municipal government did not provide any information about why O'Neal resigned, his wife posted his resignation letter on Facebook, which said he believed the local police department did not adequately defend him. Related: US citizen detained by immigration officials who dismissed his Real ID as fake 'The department's silence in the face of widespread defamation has not only made my position personally untenable but has also created an environment where I can no longer effectively carry out my duties within the city of Dalton without fear of further backlash from the community,' O'Neal wrote in the letter. On 5 May, O'Neal pulled Arias-Cristobal over in Dalton. The officer accused her of improperly making a false turn – but those charges were later dropped after the police force admitted to mistaking her car for another. The damage, though, was done by the time Arias-Cristobal's charges were dismissed. The 19-year-old – who is undocumented and was driving with a Mexican license – was brought to the US from Mexico in 2007, when she was just four. The timing of her having been taken to the US barely missed the deadline for her to qualify for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca), a program initiated during Barack Obama's presidency that provided children in her situation some protections from deportation. After O'Neal arrested her, local authorities contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), the federal agency that detains and deports immigrants. Ice agents then transferred her to an immigration jail in the state. 'I cannot go to jail,' Arias-Cristobal said during the arrest, according to dash-cam footage. 'I have my finals next week. My family depends on this.' Arias-Cristobal's plight captured national attention, with many supporting her and calling for her release. Others – including the far-right Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene – agitated for Arias-Cristobal to be deported. 'In Mexico, today, there's over 1.6 million United States of America citizens, living and thriving in Mexico, and I'm sure she and her family will be able to do the same,' Greene said during an interview with Tennessee's Local 3 News. 'But it's important for our nation, for our sovereignty, for us to uphold the law. And this is what we have to do.' The White House's attempts to engage in 'mass deportations' during Donald Trump's second presidency has led to an increase in arrests throughout the country. Immigration enforcement operations have been aided by local jurisdictions that partner with Ice, under what are known as 287(g) contracts. These contracts deputize local officials to carry out immigration enforcement arrests, collaborating closely with Ice. The Whitfield county sheriff's office, which runs the local jail for people arrested in Dalton, has a 287(g) contract with Ice. Additionally, a law signed last year by Georgia's governor, Brian Kemp, requires local law enforcement, in the entire state, to apply to enter into 287(g) contracts with Ice. Immigration advocacy organizations have called that law 'disastrous'. The Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, for instance, said it would lead to 'racial profiling, terrorize immigrant communities and waste local resources'. Related: Disabled people detained by Ice sound alarm over overcrowded jails Arias-Cristobal's father, José Arias-Tovar, had also been detained by Ice weeks earlier after another traffic stop for speeding. He bonded out of Ice detention on 16 May. Five days later, Arias-Cristobal paid a $1,500 bond, leading to her release. She was home with her family by Thursday evening. 'We're going to keep working on her case to try to keep her here permanently,' Arias-Cristobal's attorney, Dustin Baxter, told local TV station WSB-TV. Arias-Cristobal's arrest has prompted some to rally for her release, whether in person or online. Her advocates have criticized Ice and the local police department for how they have handled her case. A GoFundMe campaign launched for her legal defense has raised more than $90,000. The jail where Arias-Cristobal was detained before she bonded out is known as the Stewart detention center. It is a run privately in Lumpkin, Georgia, by CoreCivic under a contract with Ice and for years has been accused of violating rights and maintaining horrific conditions. • This article was amended on 25 May 2025 to include reference to officer O'Neal's resignation letter.
