Latest news with #XimenaAriasCristobal
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
As Trump raises deportation quotas, advocates fear an expanding ‘dragnet'
Washington, DC – There were shackles at her wrists. Her waist. Her ankles. The memory of being bound still haunts 19-year-old Ximena Arias Cristobal even after her release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Nearly a month after her arrest, the Georgia college student said she is still grappling with how her life has been transformed. One day in early May, she was pulled over for a minor traffic stop: turning right on a red light. The next thing she knew, she was in a detention centre, facing a court date for her deportation. 'That experience is something I'll never forget. It left a mark on me, emotionally and mentally,' Arias Cristobal said during a news conference on Tuesday, recounting her time at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. 'What hurts more,' she added, 'is knowing that millions of others have gone through and are still going through the same kind of pain'. Rights advocates say her story has become emblematic of a 'dragnet' deportation policy in the United States, one that targets immigrants of all backgrounds, regardless of whether they have a criminal record. President Donald Trump had campaigned for a second term on the pledge that he would expel 'criminals' who were in the country 'illegally'. But as he ramps up his 'mass deportation' campaign from the White House, critics say immigration agents are targeting immigrants from a variety of backgrounds — no matter how little risk they pose. 'The quotas that they are pushing for [are] creating this situation on the ground where ICE is literally just trying to go after anybody that they can catch,' said Vanessa Cardenas, the executive director of America's Voice, an immigration advocacy group. She explained that young, undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, are among the most vulnerable populations. 'In the dragnet, we're getting long-established, deeply rooted Dreamers and other folks that have been in the United States for a long time,' Cardenas explained. An avid runner who studies finance and economics at Dalton State College, Arias Cristobal is one of the 3.6 million people known as Dreamers. Many were sent to the US as children, sometimes accompanied by family members, others alone. For decades, the US government has struggled with how to handle those young, undocumented arrivals to the country. In 2012, then-President Barack Obama announced a new executive policy, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It provided temporary protection from deportation for younger immigrants who had lived in the US since June 2007. About 530,000 Dreamers are protected by their DACA status. But Gaby Pacheco, the leader of the immigration group said that number represents a small proportion of the total population of young immigrants facing possible deportation. Some arrived after the cut-off date of June 15, 2007, while others have been unable to apply: Processing for new applications has been paused in recent years. Legal challenges over DACA also continue to wind their way through the federal court system. 'Sadly, in recent months multiple scholars and alumni have either been arrested, detained and even deported,' Pacheco said. She noted that 90 percent of the Dreamers that her organisation is supporting during their first year of higher education have no protections under DACA or other programmes. All told, she said, the last few months have revealed a 'painful truth': that 'Dreamers are under attack'. But advocates like Pacheco warn that the first months of the Trump administration may be only a harbinger of what is to come. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller informed ICE agents that the Trump administration had increased its daily quota for immigration arrests, from 1,000 per day to 3,000. The current draft of Trump's budget legislation — known as the One Big Beautiful Bill — would also surge an estimated $150bn in government funds towards deportation and other immigration-related activities. The bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives and is likely to be taken up in the Senate in the coming weeks. Both actions could mean a significant scale-up in immigration enforcement, even as advocates argue that Trump's portrayal of the US as a country overrun with foreign criminals is starkly out of step with reality. Studies have repeatedly shown that undocumented immigrants commit fewer crimes — including violent crimes — than US-born citizens. Available data also calls into question Trump's claims that there are large numbers of undocumented criminal offenders in the country. The rate of arrests and deportations has remained more or less the same as when Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden, was in office, according to a report by the TRAC research project. From January 26 to May 3, during the first four months of Trump's second term, his administration made an average of 778 immigration arrests per day. That is just 2 percent higher than the average during the final months of Biden's presidency, which numbered about 759. The number of daily removals or deportations under Trump was actually 1 percentage point lower than Biden's daily rate. All told, Pacheco and Cardenas warned that the pressure to increase arrests and deportations could lead to increasingly desperate tactics. The administration has already rolled back a policy prohibiting immigration enforcement in sensitive areas, like churches and schools. It has also sought to use a 1798 wartime law to swiftly deport alleged gang members without due process, and revoked temporary protections that allowed some foreign nationals to remain in the country legally. In an effort to increase immigration arrests, the Trump administration has also pressured local officials to coordinate with ICE. Drawing on section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the administration has even delegated certain immigration powers to local law enforcement, including the right to make immigration arrests and screen people for deportation. In one instance in early May, the Tennessee Highway Patrol coordinated with ICE in a sweep of traffic stops that led to nearly 100 immigration arrests. Another large-scale operation in Massachusetts in early June saw ICE make 1,500 arrests. Swept up in that mass arrest was Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, an 18-year-old high school student on his way to volleyball practice. His arrest sparked protest and condemnation in Gomes Da Silva's hometown of Milford, Massachusetts. Cardenas pointed to those demonstrations, as well as the outpouring of support for Arias Cristobal, as evidence of a growing rejection of Trump's immigration policies. 'I think we are going to see more and more pushback from Americans,' she said. 'Having said that, it is my belief that this administration has all the intention to implement their plans… And if Congress gives them more money, they're going to go after our communities.'
CNN
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
White Actress Files Lawsuit After Being Blocked From Portraying Black Civil Rights Icons - First Of All with Victor Blackwell - Podcast on CNN Audio
19-year-old college student Ximena Arias-Cristobal was wrongfully pulled over in Dalton, Georgia recently. She spent weeks in ICE detention. One of her supporters through this ordeal is a Republican. Georgia State Representative Kasey Carpenter joins Ximena and Victor to discuss his opposition to her detention, and their push for meaningful immigration reform. Plus, the fight over Massapequa High School's Native American mascot just escalated. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon is threatening to full funding from New York education officials over their objections to the school's 'Chiefs' name and logo. Victor gets reaction from Germain Smith, the former general council secretary of the Shinnecock Indian Nation and an adviser to the New York Department of Education. Also this week, the Supreme Court declined to stop a land transfer in Arizona that could lead to the destruction of a site sacred to Native Americans. Wendsler Nosie Sr. joins Victor to share why the destruction of Oak Flat to make way for a copper mine is a threat to religious freedom. Should a White actress be allowed to portray Black civil rights icons like Harriet Tubman? Annette Hubbell is the writer and performer of a one-woman show she says was called off due to her race - and now she is suing, claiming discrimination and censorship. Annette Hubbell and her attorney Chris Barnewolt join Victor to explain their case. Victor also shares the story of how the skulls of nineteen Black individuals were finally returned to New Orleans after being sent to Germany in the late 1800s. Plus, an update on Clarksdale, Mississippi's mission to get a special screening of 'Sinners' with Ryan Coogler for the people who live in that town, which lacks a movie theater.
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US police officer resigns after wrongfully arresting undocumented teen
A Georgia police officer has resigned from his job 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. Though no reason for O'Neal's resignation was provided, 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. 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 Georgia'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'. 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.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Officer who arrested Georgia teen that was detained by ICE resigns
The Georgia police officer whose traffic arrest of a 19-year-old undocumented college student led to her detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has resigned from the department, a spokesperson for the city of Dalton confirmed to CBS News on Saturday. City of Dalton spokesperson Bruce Frazier wrote in an email that the Dalton Police Department had "no statement" on the officer's "resignation," and added that "I also don't have info on his reason for resigning." Frazier's statement did not name the officer. The resignation comes after Dalton police said the officer had mistakenly pulled over Ximena Arias Cristobal on May 5. He cited Arias-Cristobal for making an improper turn and driving without a license before booking her into the Whitfield County Jail in Dalton, where she was picked up by ICE officers. After officials reviewed dashboard camera footage of the traffic stop, they found the vehicle that actually made the improper turn was similar to the truck Arias Cristobal was driving, and on May 12, dismissed traffic charges against her. "You ever been to jail?," the officer can heard asking Arias Cristobal in the dashcam footage. "No, sir," she responded. "Well, you're going," the officer said. "I cannot go to jail. I have my finals next week. My family depends on this," Arias Cristobal said. Arias Cristobal, who came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 4, had been in ICE custody since early May after the agency took custody of her from the Dalton county jail and transferred her to an ICE detention facility in Lumpkin. ICE released her from detention on May 22 when an immigration judge granted her bond. Her father — who was detained by ICE in April, also after a traffic stop — was being held in Lumpkin as well, but he was granted bond and released last week. Both will continue to face deportation to Mexico, the Department of Homeland Security previously said. ICE started a deportation case against Arias Cristobal in immigration court. DHS said Arias Cristobal and her father should face "consequences" for being in the U.S. illegally. 4 women arrested for allegedly aiding escaped New Orleans inmates Biggest takeaways from RFK Jr.'s MAHA report Saturday Sessions: Lucius performs "Gold Rush"
CBS News
24-05-2025
- CBS News
Police officer who arrested Georgia teen that was detained by ICE resigns from department
College student detained by ICE following a mistaken traffic stop: "My life is here" The Georgia police officer whose traffic arrest of a 19-year-old undocumented college student led to her detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has resigned from the department, a spokesperson for the city of Dalton confirmed to CBS News on Saturday. City of Dalton spokesperson Bruce Frazier wrote in an email that the Dalton Police Department had "no statement" on the officer's "resignation," and added that "I also don't have info on his reason for resigning." Frazier's statement did not name the officer. The resignation comes after Dalton police said the officer had mistakenly pulled over Ximena Arias Cristobal on May 5. He cited Arias-Cristobal for making an improper turn and driving without a license before booking her into the Whitfield County Jail in Dalton, where she was picked up by ICE officers. After officials reviewed dashboard camera footage of the traffic stop, they found the vehicle that actually made the improper turn was similar to the truck Arias Cristobal was driving, and on May 12, dismissed traffic charges against her. "You ever been to jail?," the officer can heard asking Arias Cristobal in the dashcam footage. "No, sir," she responded. "Well, you're going," the officer said. "I cannot go to jail. I have my finals next week. My family depends on this," Arias Cristobal said. Police dashcam video shows a Dalton Police Department officer arresting 19-year-old Ximena Arias Cristobal on misdemeanor traffic charges on May 5, 2025, in Dalton, Georgia. Those charges were later dismissed. Dalton Police Department Arias Cristobal, who came to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 4, had been in ICE custody since early May after the agency took custody of her from the Dalton county jail and transferred her to an ICE detention facility in Lumpkin. ICE released her from detention on May 22 when an immigration judge granted her bond. Her father — who was detained by ICE in April, also after a traffic stop — was being held in Lumpkin as well, but he was granted bond and released last week. Both will continue to face deportation to Mexico, the Department of Homeland Security previously said. ICE started a deportation case against Arias Cristobal in immigration court. DHS said Arias Cristobal and her father should face "consequences" for being in the U.S. illegally. Kiki Intarasuwan Kiki Intarasuwan is a news editor for CBS News & Stations. contributed to this report.
