Latest news with #DaltonStateCommunityCollege
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
College student's immigration detention highlights Dreamers' growing deportation risks
A traffic stop made in error upended the life of a 19-year-old woman who was born in Mexico and has lived in Georgia most of her life. It also shows the growing risks undocumented young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, known as Dreamers, face under President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Ximena Arias-Cristobal is opening up about how being wrongly pulled over by police in the city of Dalton last month put her on immigration authorities' radar and made her susceptible to deportation. "There's no way to go back to how my life was before," Arias-Cristobal told NBC News during a virtual conversation with reporters on Tuesday. Arias-Cristobal has lived in the U.S. since she was 4 years old. 'Georgia is my home,' she said. When Dalton police stopped Arias-Cristobal on May 5, they accused her of making an improper turn and driving without a valid driver's license. A week later, all traffic-related charges against her were dropped after dashcam video of the traffic stop showed that the officer meant to stop another vehicle. Still, Arias-Cristobal spent two days in county jail and two and a half weeks at an immigration detention center in rural Georgia. Her case shows what nearly 2.5 million Dreamers living in the U.S. face as the Trump administration steps up the pace of deportations of immigrants who don't have criminal charges or convictions, despite the president's campaign vows to prioritize the deportations of violent criminals. 'Dreamers are under attack,' said Gaby Pacheco, president of an organization helping Dreamers go to college. An athlete and a honor student, Arias-Cristobal attended Dalton public schools her whole life. Arias-Cristobal received a national scholarship from which runs a highly regarded scholarship program for undocumented youth with financial needs. She's pursuing a degree in finance and economics at Dalton State Community College. 'We have thousands of Dreamers apply to like Ximena. The reason why Ximena got this scholarship is because she was one of the best,' Pacheco said, adding that Arias-Cristobal demonstrated to be a good student at school, a member of the running team and active in her church and community. Two weeks ago, Arias-Cristobal was released on the minimal amount of bond possible under the law, $1,500. The Dalton police officer who arrested Arias-Cristobal resigned on May 23, two days after she was released from immigration detention. Arias-Cristobal said she's in the process of obtaining a visa. To ensure nothing jeopardizes her immigration case, her attorney advised her to avoid going out and to stay indoors as much as possible. Despite being back in her home, she said she still feels trapped. 'I am not just an immigrant. I am a human being. I am a Georgian and I am an American without papers,' she said. According to Pacheco, Arias-Cristobal is one of nearly 12,000 scholars who have gone on to pursue college degrees, medical school and even work as nurses, engineers and at Fortune 500 companies. 'In recent months, multiple scholars and alumni have either been arrested, detained and even deported,' Pacheco said. "Dreamers are part of the American community," she said. "If we agree that Dreamers contribute to this country, if we agree they belong, what is stopping us? We need permanent legislative protection for them. We need a path to permanent legal status for them." Polls and surveys have consistently shown that most U.S. adults favor granting permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers. Trump even told NBC News' 'Meet the Press' in December that he wanted to work with Democrats and Republicans on a plan 'to do something about the Dreamers.' When asked about possible plans for immigration protections for Dreamers, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told NBC News in a statement Wednesday, "The Trump Administration's top priority is deporting criminal illegal aliens from the United States, of which there are many." "President Trump is fulfilling his promise to Make America Safe again, secure our border, and remove criminal illegals,' Jackson said. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, is one of the few deportation protections that exist for eligible Dreamers, but it's currently available to about 530,000 people who were granted DACA before 2017, according to an immigration advocacy organization. DACA has been closed for new applicants since legal challenges to end the program began during the first Trump administration, shutting out an estimated 600,000 people like Arias-Cristobal who would have been eligible for it. "Not being able to apply for DACA is something that pains me greatly," Arias-Cristobal said in Spanish. In addition to Arias-Cristobal, other Dreamers have been deported or detained. One of them is Wualner Sauceda, a middle school science teacher in South Florida who was deported to Honduras in February. On Jan. 7, a couple of weeks before Trump took office, Sauceda was detained following a check-in with immigration officials. He showed up hoping to figure out other legal pathways to remain in the country after his asylum application was denied under the Biden administration. Sauceda, 24, came to the United States as a young teen, attended public schools in South Florida and got a scholarship that allowed him to attend Florida International University. Just last week, Marcelo Gomes Da Silva was pulled over in Milford, Massachusetts, while driving his father's car. Immigration authorities made the traffic stop because they were looking for Gomes Da Silva's father but, after learning the 18-year-old was unlawfully present in the U.S., they placed him in an immigration detention center. Gomes Da Silva, who was born in Brazil, had been living in Massachusetts since he was 6 years old, attending public schools in Milford. Community members there described him as an athlete, a musician and an exceptional high school junior with an infectious smile. In a phone call from detention, the teen told his girlfriend, Julianys Rentas Figueroa, that immigration authorities 'put chains around his ankles, on his wrists,' NBC Boston reported. Arias-Cristobal related to the experience. "Being shackled at the wrist, waist and ankles," she said, "is something I'll never forget." "It left a mark on me emotionally and mentally," Arias-Cristobal added. "It's heartbreaking and it's something that changed me forever." As she fights her case, Arias-Cristobal said she hopes to "have a future here in the United States" and "be a voice" for other undocumented people, students and Dreamers. This article was originally published on
NBC News
2 days ago
- General
- NBC News
College student's immigration detention highlights Dreamers' growing deportation risks
A traffic stop made in error upended the life of a 19-year-old woman who was born in Mexico and has lived in Georgia most of her life. It also shows the growing risks undocumented young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, also known as Dreamers, face under President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Ximena Arias-Cristobal is opening up about how being wrongly pulled over by local police in the city of Dalton last month put her on immigration authorities' radar and made her susceptible to deportation. "There's no way to go back to how my life was before," Arias-Cristobal told NBC News during a virtual conversation with reporters on Tuesday. Arias-Cristobal has lived in the U.S. since she was 4 years old. 'Georgia is my home,' she said. When Dalton police stopped Arias-Cristobal on May 5, they accused her of making an improper turn and driving without a valid driver's license. A week later, all traffic-related charges against her were dropped after dashcam video of the traffic stop showed that the officer meant to stop another vehicle. Still, Arias-Cristobal spent two days in county jail and two and a half weeks at an immigration detention center in rural Georgia. Her case shows what nearly 2.5 million Dreamers living in the U.S. face as the Trump administration steps up the pace of deportations of immigrants who don't have criminal charges or convictions, despite the president's campaign vows to prioritize the deportations of violent criminals. 'Dreamers are under attack,' said Gaby Pacheco, president of an organization helping Dreamers go to college. An athlete and a honor student, Arias-Cristobal attended Dalton public schools her whole life. Arias-Cristobal received a national scholarship from which runs a highly regarded scholarship program for undocumented youth with financial needs. She's pursing a degree in finance and economics at Dalton State Community College. 'We have thousands of Dreamers apply to like Ximena. The reason why Ximena got this scholarship is because she was one of the best,' Pacheco said, adding that Arias-Cristobal demonstrated to be a good student at school, part of the running team and an active member of her church and community. Two weeks ago, Arias-Cristobal was released on the minimal amount of bond possible under the law, $1,500. The Dalton police officer who first arrested Arias-Cristobal resigned on May 23, two days after she was released from immigration detention. Arias-Cristobal said she's in the process of obtaining a visa. To ensure nothing jeopardizes her immigration case, her attorney advised her to avoid going out and to stay indoors as much as possible. Despite being back in her home, she said she still feels trapped. 'I am not just an immigrant. I am a human being. I am a Georgian and I am an American without papers,' she said. According to Pacheco, Arias-Cristobal is one of nearly 12,000 scholars who have gone on to pursue college degrees, medical school and even work as nurses, engineers and at Fortune 500 companies. 'In recent months, multiple scholars and alumni have either been arrested, detained, and even deported,' Pacheco said. "Dreamers are part of the American community," she said. "If we agree that Dreamers contribute to this country, if we agree they belong, what is stopping us? We need permanent legislative protection for them. We need a path to permanent legal status for them." Polls and surveys have consistently shown that most U.S. adults favor granting permanent legal status and a pathway to citizenship to Dreamers. Trump even told NBC News' 'Meet the Press' in December that he wanted to work with Democrats and Republicans on a plan 'to do something about the Dreamers.' When asked about possible plans for immigration protections for Dreamers, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told NBC News in a statement Wednesday, "The Trump Administration's top priority is deporting criminal illegal aliens from the United States, of which there are many." "President Trump is fulfilling his promise to Make America Safe again, secure our border, and remove criminal illegals,' Jackson said. NBC News has also contacted the Department of Homeland Security seeking comment. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, is one of the few deportation protections that exist for eligible Dreamers, but it's currently available to about 530,000 people who were granted DACA before 2017, according to an immigration advocacy organization. DACA has been closed for new applicants since legal challenges to end the program began during the first Trump administration, shutting out an estimated 600,000 people like Arias-Cristobal who would have been eligible for it. "Not being able to apply for DACA is something that pains me greatly," Arias-Cristobal said in Spanish. In addition to Arias-Cristobal, other Dreamers have been deported or detained. One of them is Wualner Sauceda, a middle school science teacher in South Florida who was deported to Honduras in February. On Jan. 7, a couple of weeks before Trump took office, Sauceda was detained following a check-in with immigration officials. He showed up hoping to figure out other legal pathways to remain in the country after his asylum application was denied under the Biden administration. Sauceda, 24, came to the United States as a young teen, attended public schools in South Florida and got a scholarship that allowed him to attend Florida International University. Just last week, Marcelo Gomes Da Silva was pulled over while driving his father's car. Immigration authorities made the traffic stop because they were looking for Gomes Da Silva's father but, after learning the 18-year-old was unlawfully present in the U.S., they placed him in an immigration detention center. Gomes Da Silva, who was born in Brazil, had been living in Massachusetts since he was 6 years old, attending public schools in the town of Milford. Community members there described him as an athlete, a musician and an exceptional high school junior with an infectious smile. In a phone call from detention, the teen told his girlfriend, Julianys Rentas Figueroa, that immigration authorities 'put chains around his ankles, on his wrists, ' NBC Boston reported. Arias-Cristobal related to the experience. "Being shackled at the wrist, waist and ankles," she said, "is something I'll never forget." "It left a mark on me emotionally and mentally," Arias-Cristobal added. "It's heartbreaking and it's something that changed me forever." As she continues fighting her case, Arias-Cristobal said she hopes to "have a future here in the United States" and "be a voice" for undocumented people, students and Dreamers.
Sky News AU
09-05-2025
- Sky News AU
Georgia college student faces deportation after running red light — leading police to discover her entire family has been living illegally in US for years
A Georgia college student faces deportation after she ran a red light, and authorities discovered her entire family has been illegally living in the US for nearly 15 years. Mexican-national Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, was pulled over by police in Dalton, Ga. on May 5 when she failed to adhere to a 'no turn on red' sign. Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a Dalton State Community College student, was driving without a driver's license but told officers she had an international driver's license, according to WTVC, citing the arrest report. She admitted that she didn't have the foreign document when Dalton police officers asked her to show it, claiming that her mother had taken it away from her and said she was not supposed to be driving. In 2010, Arias-Cristobal was brought into the US illegally by her parents when she was only 4 years old during the family's move from Mexico City to the Dalton area — over 30 miles from the Tennessee and Georgia border. Because of her non-citizen status, Arias-Cristobal was paying out-of-state tuition for school despite living in the area. The officer who pulled her over attempted to speak to the teen's mom and the owner of the car, but neither of them spoke English, according to the report. Arias-Cristobal was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices. She was transported to the Whitfield County Jail, a partner of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(G) program, used to identify illegal aliens in the country. 'This program operates based on a series of reviews and background checks completed only after an inmate is already arrested for an Offense under Georgia Law,' the jail's operation guide said. Arias-Cristobal was processed through the federal database, which confirmed she wasn't a US citizen. She was brought to ICE's Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga., where her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, is also being held. Arias-Tovar was arrested last month when he was pulled over for driving 19 miles over the speed limit, the outlet reported. The father, who owns his own company, was denied proper paperwork to remain in the US. It was not known if he ever applied for citizenship. 'My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadn't hit that status to get one yet,' Arias-Cristobal's younger sister told WTVC. Arias-Cristobal was not eligible for the DACA program, having been brought into the country a year after the program ended, according to Hannah Jones, the woman the teen babysat for in the past. Jones created a GoFundMe to raise money for an immigration attorney and bond for the teen. Chattanooga, Tennessee-based immigration attorney Terry Olsen called out the family's detention. 'We do see that ICE is really trying to find any and all methods to say that an international has some way violated the process and their status. What's concerning is that when they are being checked at these checkpoints or at the stops, ICE does not have their entire immigration file in front of them, they're not looking at all of it, and they're just relying on one item. This is a civil rights issue,' Olsen told the outlet. Olsen said Arias-Cristobal's mother will be arrested and deported within a month and her daughters will be taken with her to keep the family together. Originally published as Georgia college student faces deportation after running red light — leading police to discover her entire family has been living illegally in US for years
International Business Times
08-05-2025
- International Business Times
Ximena Arias-Cristobal: Georgia College Student to be Deported after She Ran Red Light that Revealed Her Entire Family Are Illegal Immigrants
A Georgia college student is set to be deported after running a red light, which led authorities to unravel that her entire family has been living illegally in the United States for 15 years. Mexican national Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, was stopped by police in Dalton, Georgia, on May 5 after she ignored a "no turn on red" sign. Arias-Cristobal, a Dalton State Community College student, didn't have a valid driver's license but claimed she had an international driver's license, WTVC reported. She confessed to Dalton police officers that she didn't have the international permit with her because her mother took it from her and she wasn't supposed to be driving. Careless Mistake Exposes Illegal Stay In 2010, Arias-Cristobal was brought into the United States illegally by her parents when she was just 4 years old as the family relocated from Mexico City to the Dalton area, located more than 30 miles from the Georgia-Tennessee border. Due to her non-citizen status, Arias-Cristobal had to pay out-of-state tuition for college even though she had lived in the area for years. According to the police report, the officer who stopped her tried to speak with both her mother and the registered owner of the vehicle, but neither could speak English. Arias-Cristobal was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license and not following traffic signals. She was transported to the Whitfield County Jail, a partner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the 287(g) program—a system designed to identify illegal immigrants living in the United States. "This program operates based on a series of reviews and background checks completed only after an inmate is already arrested for an Offense under Georgia Law," the jail's operation guide said. Final Days in Jail Before Deportation Arias-Cristobal was processed through the federal immigration system, which verified that she is not a U.S. citizen. She was then transferred to ICE's Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia—the same facility where her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, is currently being held. Arias-Tovar was reportedly arrested last month after being stopped for driving 19 miles per hour above the speed limit. Although he runs his own business, he lacked the necessary legal documents to stay in the United States. It remains unclear whether he ever sought U.S. citizenship. "My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadn't hit that status to get one yet," Arias-Cristobal's younger sister told WTVC. Hannah Jones, who previously employed Arias-Cristobal as a babysitter, explained that the teen did not qualify for the DACA program because she arrived in the U.S. a year after the cutoff date. Jones has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the costs of an immigration lawyer and bail for Arias-Cristobal. Meanwhile, immigration attorney Terry Olsen from Chattanooga, Tennessee, slammed the decision to detain the family. "We do see that ICE is really trying to find any and all methods to say that an international has some way violated the process and their status. What's concerning is that when they are being checked at these checkpoints or at the stops, ICE does not have their entire immigration file in front of them, they're not looking at all of it, and they're just relying on one item. This is a civil rights issue," Olsen told the outlet. Olsen said that Arias-Cristobal's mother will be arrested and deported next month, and her daughters will likely accompany her so the family can remain united.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- New York Post
Georgia college student faces deportation after running red light — police discover her entire family is living illegally in US for years
A Georgia college student faces deportation after she ran a red light, and authorities discovered her entire family has been illegally living in the US for nearly 15 years. Mexican-national Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, was pulled over by police in Dalton, Ga. on May 5 when she failed to adhere to a 'no turn on red' sign. Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a Dalton State Community College student, was driving without a driver's license but told officers she had an international driver's license, according to WTVC, citing the arrest report. Advertisement 7 Ximena Arias-Cristobal was arrested for driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices on May 5, 2025. Whitfield Co. Sheriff's Office She admitted that she didn't have the foreign document when Dalton police officers asked her to show it, claiming that her mother had taken it away from her and said she was not supposed to be driving. In 2010, Arias-Cristobal was brought into the US illegally by her parents when she was only 4 years old during the family's move from Mexico City to the Dalton area — over 30 miles from the Tennessee and Georgia border. Advertisement Because of her non-citizen status, Arias-Cristobal was paying out-of-state tuition for school despite living in the area. The officer who pulled her over attempted to speak to the teen's mom and the owner of the car, but neither of them spoke English, according to the report. Arias-Cristobal was arrested and charged with driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic control devices. 7 Arias-Cristobal poses with her father Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar after graduating from Dalton High School in May 2024. Hannah Jones Advertisement 7 Arias-Cristobal shows off her diplomas after graduating high school. Hannah Jones She was transported to the Whitfield County Jail, a partner of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(G) program, used to identify illegal aliens in the country. 'This program operates based on a series of reviews and background checks completed only after an inmate is already arrested for an Offense under Georgia Law,' the jail's operation guide said. Arias-Cristobal was processed through the federal database, which confirmed she wasn't a US citizen Advertisement She was brought to ICE's Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga., where her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, is also being held. 7 Arias-Cristobal was transported to the Whitfield County Jail, a partner of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(G) program, used to identify illegal aliens in the country. Hannah Jones 7 Arias-Cristobal was brought into the US illegally by her parents when she was only 4 years old in 2010. Hannah Jones Arias-Tovar was arrested last month when he was pulled over for driving 19 miles over the speed limit, the outlet reported. The father, who owns his own company, was denied proper paperwork to remain in the US. It was not known if he ever applied for citizenship. 'My dad has his own company, and they called a lawyer to see if they could get a job permit or a visa, and they said that they hadn't hit that status to get one yet,' Arias-Cristobal's younger sister told WTVC. 7 Arias-Tovar owns his own company and was denied proper paperwork to remain in the US. Hannah Jones Arias-Cristobal was not eligible for the DACA program, having been brought into the country a year after the program ended, according to Hannah Jones, the woman the teen babysat for in the past. Advertisement Jones created a GoFundMe to raise money for an immigration attorney and bond for the teen. Chatanooga, Tennessee-based immigration attorney Terry Olsen called out the family's detention. 7 Arias-Cristobal was not eligible for the DACA program, having been brought into the country a year after the program ended. Hannah Jones Advertisement 'We do see that ICE is really trying to find any and all methods to say that an international has some way violated the process and their status. What's concerning is that when they are being checked at these checkpoints or at the stops, ICE does not have their entire immigration file in front of them, they're not looking at all of it, and they're just relying on one item. This is a civil rights issue,' Olsen told the outlet. Olsen said Arias-Cristobal's mother will be arrested and deported within a month and her daughters will be taken with her to keep the family together.
