A 19-year-old Mexican-born college student remains in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and faces potential deportation following a traffic stop that Dalton, Georgia, officials have now acknowledged was made in error. Ximena Arias-Cristobal, who has lived in the United States since she was 4 years old, finds herself caught in an immigration battle despite local authorities dropping all charges related to the incident.
The Mistaken Traffic Stop: How It Happened
Dashcam footage reviewed by Dalton officials revealed that on May 5, 2025, a police officer witnessed a black pickup truck make an illegal right turn on red but was unable to immediately pull over the vehicle. The officer subsequently stopped Arias-Cristobal's dark gray Dodge truck by mistake, according to city officials.
"Miss Arias-Cristobal's vehicle was very similar in appearance to the offender vehicle," Dalton Police Assistant Chief Chris Crossen explained during a press conference. "It's a situation where the wrong vehicle was stopped and it's a very regrettable thing that this is where this led." Fox 5 Atlanta1
During the traffic stop, authorities discovered that Arias-Cristobal did not have a valid driver's license. The dashcam footage captured the officer telling her, "So in the state of Georgia, when you drive without a license, you know what happens? You ever been to jail? Well, you're going." New York Post2
She was initially booked into the Whitfield County Jail, which has a partnership with ICE, and was subsequently transferred to federal immigration custody.
From Traffic Violation to Immigration Detention
On Monday, May 12, following a thorough review of the evidence, the Dalton Police Department, the prosecuting attorney, and city officials jointly announced the dismissal of all charges against Arias-Cristobal. They determined that her vehicle was not the one that committed the traffic violation and cleared her of both the improper turn and license charges. CBS News3
However, despite this acknowledgment of error, Arias-Cristobal remains detained at the Stewart ICE detention facility in Lumpkin, Georgia. Her detention continues because federal authorities discovered during the arrest process that she is in the country without legal authorization.
According to Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, Arias-Cristobal has "admitted to illegally entering the United States" and does not have a pending application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. CBS News3
Community Response and Legal Advocacy
The case has sparked significant community response, with neighbors, friends, and Arias-Cristobal's former employer rallying for her release. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise money for her bond and legal fees, drawing widespread support. Fox 5 Atlanta1
Her younger sister, Aurora, expressed the emotional toll on the family: "Sometimes I'm sad and I cry because I can't believe my sister is in jail. And then I'm angry because how could somebody do that to a 19-year-old college student?" Fox 5 Atlanta1
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Plaza Fiesta in DeKalb County last Friday, calling for the release of both Arias-Cristobal and her father, who is also in ICE custody following a separate traffic incident last month. Fox 5 Atlanta1
Legal Perspective and Immigration Consequences
Attorney Dustin Baxter of Kuck Baxter Immigration described the situation as "super maddening" and expressed frustration at how a police error could have such severe consequences.
"We'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say there was no ill intent on the part of this police officer, it's just heartbreaking that a mistake by a police officer cost this person her freedom ultimately and may cost her her residency in the United States," Baxter stated. New York Post2
Charles Kuck, another attorney representing Arias-Cristobal, stated that despite the charges being dropped, she is "inside the Trump deportation machinery" and still facing deportation. ABC News4
Family Immigration Status and Context
Arias-Cristobal came to the United States illegally from Mexico in 2010 when she was just 4 years old. She graduated from Dalton's high school last year and was attending Dalton State Community College at the time of her arrest. CBS News3
Her family told ABC News affiliate WTVC that Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to register for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program because it had ended. ABC News4
Adding to the family's difficulties, her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, is also currently detained at the same federal facility after being pulled over for allegedly speeding last month. New York Post2
Next Steps in the Legal Process
Arias-Cristobal has a bond hearing scheduled for May 20, at which her attorney will attempt to convince an immigration court that she is neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk, and should therefore be released before her deportation hearing. New York Post2
Her legal team has acknowledged that although the dismissal of charges by local authorities is welcome, it may be "too little, too late" for their client who remains in custody. New York Post2
Implications for Immigration Enforcement
This case highlights the complex intersection of local law enforcement and federal immigration policy. While local authorities corrected their error by dismissing the traffic charges, the consequences for Arias-Cristobal's immigration status had already been set in motion.
The situation raises questions about how minor traffic violations can escalate into deportation proceedings for undocumented immigrants who have spent most of their lives in the United States. It also underscores the potential consequences of police errors in communities where ICE partnerships with local jails facilitate swift transfers to federal immigration custody.
A Community Divided
The case has drawn attention to broader debates about immigration enforcement priorities. Critics argue that resources should focus on individuals who pose public safety threats rather than long-term residents with deep community ties who were brought to the country as children.
Supporters of current enforcement policies maintain that immigration laws must be consistently applied regardless of individual circumstances or how individuals came to be in violation of immigration laws.
As Arias-Cristobal awaits her bond hearing, her case serves as a reminder of how a single traffic stop – even one made in error – can dramatically alter a person's life trajectory and raise fundamental questions about fairness in the immigration system.
The outcome of her case may have implications not only for her own future but also for how similar cases involving undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children are handled in the current enforcement environment. Will the acknowledged error in the initial traffic stop ultimately influence her deportation proceedings, or will immigration authorities proceed regardless of how the case began?
