Entire Family Faces Possible Deportation Following Alleged Traffic Violations

An immigrant family is facing possible deportation after a series of traffic-related incidents drew the attention of federal authorities. The case has sparked concern among local community members and immigration advocates.

A family living in Georgia is now facing possible deportation after two members were stopped in separate traffic incidents that led to their detention by immigration authorities. The situation began when 19-year-old Ximena Arias-Cristobal was pulled over in Dalton for making an illegal right turn, and her father, Jose Francisco Arias-Tovar, had been arrested just weeks earlier for speeding.

The family, originally from Mexico City, has lived in the U.S. for nearly 15 years without legal status. Both Arias-Cristobal and her father are currently being held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia. According to reports, Arias-Tovar owns a business but was never granted legal work status or residency, and his daughter was brought to the U.S. too late to qualify for the DACA program.

Ximena’s arrest occurred after she failed to present a valid driver’s license during the traffic stop. She claimed to have an international license but didn’t have it with her at the time. Police later confirmed she had no valid U.S. license and arrested her for multiple traffic violations. Under local procedures, the Whitfield County Jail, where she was booked, checks residency status as part of a cooperation agreement with ICE.

The family’s immigration status quickly became the focus of the case, raising concerns among advocates and legal experts. Immigration attorney Terry Olsen criticized ICE’s handling of such cases, warning that agents often make decisions based on incomplete information, which can lead to civil rights violations.

Supporters of the family, including a woman who previously employed Arias-Cristobal as a babysitter, have launched a GoFundMe to cover legal costs. Meanwhile, ICE is reportedly preparing to deport Arias-Cristobal’s mother, with plans to send her daughters with her in an effort to keep the family together.

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