A Georgia college student ximena arias-cristobal faces deportation after traffic stop reveals family’s 15-year illegal residency.
Ximena Arias-Cristobal’s arrest sparks deportation voncerns
On May 5, 2025, 19-year-old ximena arias-cristobal, a student at dalton state community college, was pulled over in dalton, georgia. She was cited for running a red light and ignoring a “no turn on red” sign.
Arias-Cristobal was found driving without a valid U.S. driver’s license. She initially claimed to have an international driver’s license, but later admitted she did not have it.
Additionally, she explained that her mother had taken the document from her, stating she was not allowed to drive.
Family’s Ximena illegal immigration history
Arias-Cristobal’s story reveals deeper issues regarding her family’s illegal status in the U.S.
According to report, Ximena Arias-Cristobal was bought to the U.S. illegally by her parents from Mexico City in 2010, when she was just 4 years old.
The family settled in Dalton, located over 30 miles from the Tennessee-Georgia border.
Due to her non-citizen status, arias-cristobal paid out-of-state tuition at her college, even though she had lived in the area for years.
Ximena was arrested after running red light
After the arrest, officers tried to contact Arias-Cristobal’s mother and the car’s owner.
However, both were unable to speak English. The arrest report states that arias-cristobal was charged with driving without a valid license and failure to obey traffic signals.
She was transported to whitfield county jail, which participates in the 287(G) program, a partnership with U.S. authorities.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) designed to identify undocumented immigrants.
ICE detains Arias-Cristobal, family’s legal status under scrutiny
After her arrest, arias-cristobal was processed through a federal database, confirming her undocumented status.
She was then transferred to ICE’s stewart detention center in lumpkin, georgia, where her father, jose francisco arias-tovar, is currently held.
“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-Tovar, who owns his own business, was arrested last month for speeding and has been denied legal permission to remain in the U.S.
It remains unclear whether he ever applied for citizenship.
The DACA issue: Arias-Cristobal is not eligible for relief
Arias-Cristobal is not eligible for the DACA program because she was brought to the U.S. a year after the program’s cutoff.
This has made her situation even more precarious, as she does not have access to relief options available to many other undocumented young immigrants.
In response to arias-cristobal’s arrest, her former employer, hannah jones, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for legal support and bond.
Terry olsen, a chattanooga-based immigration attorney, criticized ICE’s handling of the case.
Terry stated that the agency often fails to review the full immigration file of individuals at checkpoints or traffic stops.
It also raised concerns about civil rights violations.
Olsen expressed concerns that arias-cristobal’s mother would be arrested and deported within a month.
He also noted that her daughters, including ximena, would likely be deported with her to keep the family together.