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23-05-2025
Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken arrest says detention was 'life-changing'
The Georgia teen who was arrested in a case of mistaken identity -- and then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over her undocumented status -- is saying a day after her release on bond that her time in custody was "life-changing." Ximena 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. As she was being transferred to Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, she stopped at some offices in Atlanta, she said. "They had me in a room by myself for nine hours. I didn't know what was going on. It was never explained," Arias-Cristobal told Chattanooga, Tennessee, ABC affiliate WTVC Thursday after her release from detention.. "Being in Stewart changed my life. It's something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It's life-changing," she said. Arias-Cristobal, a student at Dalton State College, was in the ICE detention center for two weeks. "It was scary. I was terrified," Arias-Cristobal told WTVC. 'I won't ever be the same,' she told Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB in a separate phone interview. Arias-Cristobal was released on a $1,500 bond and the government did not wish to appeal, according to her attorney. "We do not have another hearing currently scheduled. It would be remarkable if it is before mid-2026," Charles Kuck, an attorney for Arias-Cristobal, told WTVC. She was granted bond on Wednesday and reunited with family at her home on Thursday. The teen came to the U.S. with her parents when she was 4 years old and is ineligible for relief from deportation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which temporarily protects some migrants from deportation if they were brought to the country as children, an attorney for Arias-Cristobal told ABC News. Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to register for the DACA program because it ended before she became eligible to apply at 16 years old. The Department of Homeland Security said following her detainment that it is committed to ordering Arias-Cristobal to "self-deport" to Mexico and that she "admitted to illegally entering the United States and has no pending applications with USCIS."
21-05-2025
- Politics
Georgia teen detained by ICE after mistaken traffic stop granted bond: Attorney
A Georgia teenager who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being mistakenly stopped for a traffic infraction she did not commit earlier this month was granted bond Wednesday, according to her attorney. Ximena 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, authorities said. The local police department and prosecuting attorney dismissed charges against her related to the mistaken traffic stop, though she was detained by ICE agents for being in the country illegally. The Department of Homeland Security said following her detainment that it is committed to ordering Arias-Cristobal to "self-deport" to Mexico and that she "admitted to illegally entering the United States and has no pending applications with USCIS." During a bond hearing on Wednesday, Arias-Cristobal was granted $1,500 bond, the minimum amount possible under the law, according to her attorney. "The government did not wish to appeal. The family will pay the bond ASAP and Ximena will be home with her family tomorrow afternoon at the latest," her attorney, Dustin Baxter, said in a statement. The next hearing in the case has not been scheduled, another one of her attorneys, Charles Kuck, told ABC Chattanooga, Tennessee, affiliate WTVC, adding, "It would be remarkable if it is before mid-2026." Arias-Cristobal, a student at Dalton State College, was being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, ICE records show. The teen came to the U.S. with her parents when she was 4 years old and is ineligible for relief from deportation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which temporarily protects some migrants from deportation if they were brought to the country as children, an attorney for Arias-Cristobal told ABC News. Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to register for the DACA program because it ended before she became eligible to apply at 16 years old. Her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was separately detained by police -- and later ICE -- two weeks before his daughter for speeding and driving without a license, according to DHS. Her father was released on bond from ICE custody last week, WTVC reported. "Both father and daughter were in this country illegally and they have to face the consequences," DHS said in a statement last week. "The United States is offering aliens like this father and daughter $1,000 apiece and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Georgia college student facing deportation heading to court for bond hearing
The Brief A Georgia college student whose arrest and possible deportation after a traffic stop have drawn national attention will be in court today for a bond hearing. Last week, the City of Dalton confirmed that all charges were dropped against Ximena Arias-Cristobal, saying that she was not the driver who committed the traffic violation that led to her arrest. Her lawyers say they will fight for her release at her hearing on a immigration bond. DALTON, Ga. - A Georgia college student facing deportation after a traffic stop will be in court today for a bond hearing. Ximena Arias-Cristobal's case has drawn national attention and has led to multiple protests in the community as advocates push for her release. What we know Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old Mexican national, was arrested by police in Dalton, Georgia, on May 5 after illegally turning right on red and driving without a license, according to an arrest report obtained by WTVC in Chattanooga. At the time, the Dalton State College student was taken to the Whitfield County Jail before being transferred to the Stewart Detention Center – a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility – in Southwest Georgia. Last week, the City of Dalton confirmed that all charges were dropped against Arias-Cristobal, saying that she had been mistakenly identified and did not make the illegal right turn that led to her arrest. The Dalton Police Department, the prosecuting attorney, and city officials reviewed the video and determined Arias-Cristobal's vehicle was not the one that committed the traffic violation. She was cleared of both the improper turn and license charges, and the City Attorney notified her legal representatives of the decision to drop the case. What they're saying Supporters of Arias-Cristobal, including neighbors, friends, and her former employer, have rallied for her release since the college student was arrested. A GoFundMe campaign launched to raise money for her bond and legal fees has raised nearly $90,000. The fundraiser was started by Hannah Jones, a local mother who says Arias-Cristobal has babysat her children for years. "She has babysat for my kids for years. We adore her. Ximena is my close friend and my children's favorite babysitter," Jones wrote. She said that she hopes to have a celebration when Arias-Cristobal "returns home." Attorney Dustin Baxter, who is representing Arias-Cristobal, called her case "devastating." "The problem with this administration's policy with immigration is it doesn't differentiate between hardened criminals and innocent people who get caught up in the mix," he told FOX 5 last week. The other side Arias-Cristobal's father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was also arrested recently in an unrelated traffic incident for speeding and driving without a license. He is being held at the same ICE facility. DHS officials say both admitted to being in the country illegally and do not have pending immigration cases. "The family will be able to return to Mexico together," a DHS spokesperson said previously. "Mr. Tovar had ample opportunity to seek a legal pathway to citizenship. He chose not to. We are not ignoring the rule of law." The agency also pointed to alternatives, noting that migrants who self-deport using the CBP One app may be eligible to return legally in the future. What's next Despite the dismissal of all criminal charges, Arias-Cristobal remains in ICE custody. A bond hearing for Arias-Cristobal will take place on Tuesday morning. Her attorney says they will "fight for her release" on an immigration bond. The Source Information for this story came from a release by Ximena Arias-Cristobal's attorney, court records, and previous FOX 5 reporting.
14-05-2025
Georgia college student detained by ICE after mistaken traffic stop should self-deport, DHS says
Despite the charges against a Georgia college student being dropped in the wake of her mistaken traffic arrest, the Department of Homeland Security is committed to ordering Ximena Arias-Cristobal and her father to "self-deport," the agency said in a statement. Arias-Cristobal, 19, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being mistakenly stopped for a traffic infraction she did not commit. Ximena 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 dropped on Monday once officials realized there was a mix-up, Dalton Assistant Police Chief Chris Crossen said. However, Arias-Cristobal remains in ICE custody at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, ICE records show. Arias-Cristobal's father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was separately detained by police -- and later ICE -- two weeks before her daughter for speeding and driving without a license, according to DHS. She "admitted to illegally entering the United States and has no pending applications with USCIS," the DHS said late Tuesday in a post on X. "The facts haven't changed. Both father and daughter were in this country illegally and they have to face the consequences," the department said in the post. "The United States is offering aliens like this father and daughter $1,000 apiece and a free flight to self-deport now." "We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream," the department added in the post. "If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return." The teen came to the U.S. with her parents when she was 4 years old and is ineligible for relief from deportation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which temporarily protects some migrants from deportation if they were brought to the country as children, an attorney for Arias-Cristobal told ABC News. Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to register for the DACA program because it was ended before she became eligible to apply at 16 years old. "The family will be able to return to Mexico together," DHS said. "Mr. Tovar had ample opportunity to seek a legal pathway to citizenship. He chose not to. We are not ignoring the rule of law." Ndahitha Cristobal, Arias-Cristobal's mother, said Arias-Tovar was getting materials to work on a house for a client when police stopped him. He was arrested for driving 19 mph above the speed limit, Cristobal told Chattanooga, Tennessee, ABC affiliate WTVC. Before her arrest, Arias-Cristobal was helping her mother, who is a housekeeper, with cleaning in order to make ends meet. Arias-Cristobal is also a student at Dalton State College. "Now that they took her away, it's just her," Ximena's younger sister, Aurora, told WTVC. "It has been hard," Aurora said, breaking down in tears. "My mother, I've been helping her out because she doesn't know English and it's just a lot of weight on us."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia college student remains in ICE custody after mistaken traffic stop
A 19-year-old college student from Georgia remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after a traffic stop led to her detainment, records show. Ximena Arias-Cristobal was arrested on May 5 in Dalton, Georgia, when her dark gray truck was mistaken for a black pickup that made an illegal turn. The Dalton Police Department announced on Monday that a review of dash cam video showed she was not the driver who committed the traffic violation and all charges against her have been dropped. City officials -- including the city administrator, prosecuting attorney and city attorney -- confirmed the stop was in error and notified Arias-Cristobal's legal team. MORE: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka arrested at ICE facility while joining Democrats to conduct 'oversight' Despite the dismissal of charges on Monday, the 19-year-old Dalton State College student had been taken into ICE custody following the traffic stop and remained in custody on Monday, triggering concerns about her immigration status. Arias-Cristobal, who is undocumented, has lived in Whitfield County since she was 4 years old, her family told ABC News' Tennessee affiliate WTVC. Her family said that Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to register in the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program because it had ended. Arias-Cristobal is being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, ICE records show. MORE: ICE targets businesses and restaurants across DC Her attorney, Charles Kuck, said in a statement to ABC News that despite the charges being dropped, Arias-Cristobal is 'inside the Trump deportation machinery' and is still facing deportation. Arias-Cristobal has a bond hearing next week, her attorney said. According to WTVC, Arias-Cristobal's father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was similarly detained by police in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, two weeks ago for going 19 miles over the speed limit. The family told the outlet that he is being housed at the same ICE detention center. Georgia college student remains in ICE custody after mistaken traffic stop originally appeared on
