Georgia Community Rallies Behind Ximena Arias Following ICE Arrest

DALTON, Ga., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The family of 19-year-old Dalton State College student Ximena Arias is speaking out following her arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after a traffic stop that has since been acknowledged as a mistake. The incident has mobilized broad community support and drawn renewed attention to long-standing gaps in federal immigration policy.

Brought to the U.S. at the age of four, Ximena Arias-Cristobal has called Georgia home for 15 years. She is a college student paying out-of-state tuition, an active member of her church, and a well-loved part of the Dalton community. She has no criminal record and is widely recognized for her character and community involvement.

Her arrest — following a mistaken traffic stop now clarified by the Dalton Police Department — has raised concerns about how current enforcement practices affect individuals with deep ties to their communities. Young people are especially impacted, as many have no viable legal pathway to permanent residency since President Trump closed new DACA applications in 2017.

"We are shining a light on Ximena," her family shared. "She is not a threat. She is not a flight risk. She is a neighbor, a student, a daughter. We are proud to live in a community that is showing up for her. She represents the best of what our community stands for."

Thanks to legal support and advocacy, her family is hopeful she will be released on bond and allowed to return home while her case proceeds. A GoFundMe campaign has already raised over $60,000 to support her legal expenses. Funding her existing legal fees and future fees will mount well into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Ximena's bond hearing comes after the Dalton Police Department dash cam footage showed that she did not, in fact, commit a traffic violation. "I'm not bitter that this happened," Ximena said. "I appreciate the Dalton Police Department's willingness to acknowledge the error and do the right thing. My dad reminded me on the phone that I was born with a purpose. I hope that part of that purpose is to show how our immigration system needs reform and to encourage lawmakers to find a better path forward."

Following the traffic stop, Ximena was booked into the Whitfield County Jail and then, in accordance with federal law, transferred to the Stewart Detention Center, where she remains. The experience, her family says, has been traumatic and isolating, both emotionally and financially.

"We are so grateful every time we hear her voice," her mother said. "We just want to bring her home."

A System Under Strain

Ximena's immigration attorney Charles Kuck emphasizes that her case is not an isolated incident. "Detaining nonviolent residents like Ximena clogs local systems, creates unnecessary costs, and separates families," he said. "Her case is especially difficult because there is no immediate remedy under current law — even though her arrest was based on a documented mistake."

"The reality is that Congress has not acted to modernize our immigration laws in over 35 years," Kuck continued. "Ximena is a living example of how that inaction plays out in real life. We will continue to advocate for her release and for a future where cases like hers are treated with the compassion and common sense they deserve."

A Call to Action for Georgia

Ximena's case has become a touchpoint for community members and advocates who want to be part of the solution:

• Drive Safely: 
  • Remind friends that even minor traffic stops can have serious consequences.
    
    
• Support Legal Advocacy:
  • Donate to trusted local nonprofits. Dalton examples include CLILA (Coalition of Latino Leaders) and the Latin American Association (LAA).
    
    
• Contact Your Representatives:
  • Ask Georgia lawmakers to support bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform.
  • Consider asking representatives:  "What are you doing to ensure that long-term residents like Ximena are not detained for minor infractions? How can we create a pathway to legal status for individuals with no options?

Her family is optimistic that Ximena will be reunited with her loved ones soon and is already imagining a joyful, peaceful homecoming.

"We believe in our legal system," her mother said. "But we also believe in compassion and common sense. Dalton is our home. We're proud to belong to a community that continues to show us great love and support."

Contact: Team Ximena
Email: [email protected] 

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SOURCE Team Ximena