Traffic Stop Error Triggers Deportation Risk for Georgia Student

A police mistake during a traffic stop in Georgia has left a 19-year-old student facing deportation, even after traffic violation charges were dropped.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a student at Dalton State College, was stopped by Dalton Police Department officers, who believed she had made an illegal right turn on red. During the stop, officers discovered she was driving without a license, which further led to the revelation of her illegal immigrant status.

The New York Post reported on May 12 that Arias-Cristobal is currently detained at Stewart Immigration Detention Center in Georgia.

Charges Dropped, but Deportation Threat Remains

While the Dalton Police Department later dismissed the original charge of illegally turning at a red light, the stop resulted in exposing Arias-Cristobal’s undocumented status. The key issue now centers on her immigration status, not the traffic violation.

Her attorney, Dustin Baxter, criticized the situation, stating, “A young woman has lost her freedom and is now facing deportation over a single police mistake. She poses no flight risk and is not a threat to the community, and she should be released before her deportation hearing.”

Father Also Detained After Separate Traffic Stop

In a related incident, Arias-Cristobal’s father was also arrested two weeks earlier for speeding. During his detention, authorities discovered his illegal immigrant status, and he is now being held at Stewart Detention Center alongside his daughter.

The Arias-Cristobal family reportedly entered the United States illegally in 2010 from Mexico City.

BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]