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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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A 19-year-old college student who has lived in the U.S. since childhood is now facing possible deportation after a routine traffic stop in Dalton, Georgia, led to her arrest and detention by federal immigration authorities.
Ximena Arias-Cristobal, who has lived in Whitfield County since she was four, was taken to the Stewart Detention Center with restraints on her wrists and ankles, according to WTVC NewsChannel 9.
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Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has pledged to remove millions of undocumented immigrants as part of his mass deportation plans. The White House has said anyone living in the country unlawfully is considered to be a "criminal." Critics say the enforcement operations sow fear into immigrant communities.
What To Know
On Monday, police stopped Arias-Cristobal at the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Thornton Avenue after she made an improper right turn, ignoring a "no turn on red" sign.
Officers asked for her driver's license, and she informed them she had an international license but did not have it with her at the time, per a report from WTVC NewsChannel 9.
Police arrested Arias-Cristobal for driving without a valid license and for failing to obey traffic control signals.
Her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, was stopped in Tunnel Hill two weeks ago for driving 19 miles over the speed limit. He is currently being held at the same ICE detention center.
Dalton police subsequently transported the teenager to the Whitfield County Jail. The booking process includes asking all individuals about their residency status.
Hannah Jones says Arias-Cristobal has been a babysitter for her family for several years. Arias-Cristobal's parents moved to the Dalton area from Mexico City in 2010, when she was a young child, according to Jones.
Her family says Arias-Cristobal was not eligible to enroll in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program because it was no longer accepting new applications.
DACA recipients, commonly known as Dreamers, are individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children. The program protects them from ICE detention and deportation, however, these protections can be revoked by federal authorities.
Arias-Cristobal, a Dalton High School graduate and former cross-country athlete, is a student at Dalton State College.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover legal expenses for Arias-Cristobal. It has raised $42,000 as of 5 a.m. EST on May 8.
Per guidance from the Georgia Department of Driver Services: "If a non-US citizen establishes residency in Georgia, he or she must obtain a Georgia driver's license within thirty (30) days."
What People Are Saying
Attributable to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin: "Arias Tovar, a 43-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested for speeding and driving without a license. Arias Tovar self-admitted that he is in the country illegally. His daughter, Ximena Arias Cristobal, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested on May 5, 2025, by the Dalton Police Department for failing to obey a traffic light and driving without a license. She admitted to illegally entering the United States and has no pending applications with USCIS.
"The family will be able to return to Mexico together. Mr. Tovar had ample opportunity to seek a legal pathway to citizenship. He chose not to. We are not ignoring the rule of law.
"Through the CBP Home App— the Trump Administration is giving parents illegally in the country a chance to take full control of their departure and self-deport, with the potential ability to return the legal, right way and come back to live the American dream."
Family friend Hannah Jones wrote in on GoFundMe: "She has babysat for my kids for years. We adore her."
Arias-Cristobal's sister told WTVC NewsChannel 9: "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.
"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."
What Happens Next
Arias-Cristobal is expected to have a court appearance next month.
Update 5/9/25, 3:16 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from DHS.
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