Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old college student from Dalton, Georgia, remains in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following a traffic stop that local police have now admitted was a case of mistaken identity. The incident occurred on 5 May when Arias-Cristobal was pulled over for allegedly making an illegal turn—an allegation since clarified as inaccurate. Despite the error, she was arrested for driving without a valid licence and handed over to immigration authorities.
The student, who has lived in the US since the age of four, is currently being held at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, and is awaiting an immigration bond hearing on 20 May. The case has sparked public outcry, with supporters calling for her immediate release and questioning the role of local law enforcement in escalating the situation.
