College student detained by ICE to be released on bond after being wrongfully pulled over

DALTON, Ga. (WANF/Gray News) - An undocumented college student who was placed in an ICE detention facility after being wrongfully pulled over is expected to be released on bond.

Ximena Arias-Cristobal, 19, was granted a $1,500 bond Wednesday afternoon. Her attorney said her family will pay her bond and they hope to have her back home on Thursday.

“The family will pay the bond as soon as possible and Ximena will home with her family tomorrow afternoon at the latest,” he said.

Her attorney also said Homeland Security doesn’t plan on appealing the judge’s decision.

Arias-Cristobal has been in the Stewart Detention Center since she was pulled over in Dalton, Georgia, by mistake on May 5.

She was initially charged with making an improper turn and driving without a valid driver’s license. However, the city of Dalton dropped the charges, saying the arresting officer’s dashcam video showed he stopped the wrong car.

Arias-Cristobal remained at the ICE facility after the charges were dropped since she is undocumented.

Her father, Jose Arias-Tovar, was recently released from ICE custody. Arias-Tovar, who is also undocumented, was initially arrested after a traffic stop and spent weeks in custody.

The family has lived in Dalton area since Arias-Cristobal was 4 years old. She is a graduate from Dalton High School and was attending Dalton State College before her arrest.

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