Overview

• Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old college student, was detained by ICE after a traffic stop error in Dalton, Georgia, on May 5, 2025.
• Local authorities dismissed all charges against her on May 12 after confirming the wrong vehicle was pulled over.
• An immigration judge granted her a $1,500 bond on May 21, the minimum amount allowed by law, enabling her release from detention.
• Arias-Cristobal is ineligible for DACA protections due to the program's 2007 arrival cutoff, leaving her vulnerable to deportation despite living in the U.S. since age 4.
• Deportation proceedings are ongoing, and DHS continues to offer self-deportation incentives, including $1,000 and a free flight, to her and her father.