A 19-year-old Georgia university student who was brought to the United States as a toddler is now in ICE detention and facing potential deportation after being stopped by police for making a right turn on red, according to local media reports.
Friends of Ximena Arias-Cristobal, who has lived in Whitfield County, Georgia since she was 4 years old, told local ABC affiliate News9 that she was taken to Stewart Detention Center wearing chains around her wrists and ankles. She is expected to remain in detention for months before appearing before an immigration judge, the station reported.
In a troubling coincidence, Arias-Cristobal’s father, Jose Francisco, is also being held in the same detention center after being arrested in Tunnel Hill two weeks ago for driving 19 mph over the speed limit, the station reported.
Dalton Police said officers pulled over Arias-Cristobal at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Thornton Avenue on Monday after she made an improper right turn, ignoring a “no turn on red” sign. Police said that when she was asked for her license, she presented an international driver’s license but did not have it on her. Court records indicate she was arrested for driving without a valid license and failing to obey traffic control devices. Officers transported her to Whitfield County Jail, where a spokesperson said the facility’s booking process requires verification of a suspect’s residency. Whitfield County Jail has had a “Jail Enforcement Model” agreement with ICE since June 2020. According to ICE, the program allows authorities to “identify and process removable aliens — with criminal or pending criminal charges — who are arrested by state or local law enforcement agencies.”
Hannah Jones told the station that Arias-Cristobal has worked with her family as a babysitter for years. She added that Arias-Cristobal’s parents immigrated from Mexico City when she was a toddler. Arias-Cristobal’s mother confirmed to the station that the family entered the U.S. illegally.
Speaking about her husband, she said he has no criminal record, owns a construction company, and pays taxes. Arias-Cristobal’s younger sister said the family came to the United States seeking better opportunities for her and her sister.
“They came in with big dreams because they wanted a big future for my older sister. And, you know, my sister goes to college, and she was an honor student since middle school. And she runs. She loves to run. It’s her passion, and the only reason they came is to follow my sister’s dreams,” she said.
Translating for her mother, Arias-Cristobal’s younger sister added that her father attempted to obtain a work visa but was unsuccessful.
“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.”
Her family also said Arias-Cristobal was unable to register for the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program because it had already ended. DACA allowed children of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to apply for status that defers their chances of deportation every two years.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to provide legal representation for Arias-Cristobal. As of Wednesday evening, it had raised over $40,000. Jones described Arias-Cristobal as “the most precious human” and believes her international driver’s license permits her to drive legally in the U.S. However, the Georgia Department of Driver Services states, “If a non-US citizen establishes residency in Georgia, he or she must obtain a Georgia driver’s license within thirty (30) days.”
Attorney Terry Olsen told the station that Arias-Cristobal’s mother will likely “be arrested or detained within a month or so.” Olsen added that her daughters would be removed with her to keep the family together.
