A Dalton police officer at the center of a wrongful arrest that left a 19-year-old undocumented teen detained in an ICE facility has officially resigned, according to city officials.
Leslie Allen O’Neal, a former officer with the Dalton Police Department in Georgia, stepped down after an internal investigation revealed he mistakenly pulled over the wrong vehicle, leading to the arrest and subsequent detention of Ximena Arias-Cristobal. The case has ignited outrage, drawn national media attention, and reignited debate surrounding immigration enforcement and accountability in local policing.
A Traffic Stop with Life-Altering Consequences
The incident occurred on May 5, when Arias-Cristobal was pulled over for what Officer O’Neal claimed was an improper turn. During the stop, police discovered she did not have a valid driver’s license. Further checks revealed her undocumented status, prompting authorities to place her into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Arias-Cristobal was then transferred to the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia—a facility known for housing hundreds of undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation or legal proceedings.
For days, her family had no idea where she had been taken.
But less than a week after the arrest, the Dalton Police Department released a statement acknowledging a critical error: Dashcam footage showed that O’Neal had in fact pulled over the wrong vehicle. Arias-Cristobal had not committed the alleged traffic violation that prompted the stop.
Despite the acknowledgment and the dropping of all charges, Arias-Cristobal remained at the detention center for nearly two more weeks. It wasn’t until an immigration judge granted her a $1,500 bond that she was released. She returned to her family early on a Friday morning, met by hugs, tears, and a flood of emotions that underscored the trauma of the experience.
“I Wouldn’t Wish It on My Worst Enemy”
In an emotional interview with Atlanta News First, Arias-Cristobal described the fear and uncertainty she endured behind the walls of the detention center.
“It’s not knowing what’s going to happen to me,” she said. “Knowing that I could be sent back to a country that I don’t know. Having to be torn apart from my family.”
Arias-Cristobal has lived in the United States since the age of four and considers it her only home. Her sudden detention—and the realization that it stemmed from a police error—left her shaken and has sparked broader questions about the role of local law enforcement in immigration matters.
Her attorney confirmed that Arias-Cristobal is now pursuing a U.S. visa and has a court hearing scheduled for early 2026. In the meantime, her story has resonated with immigrant rights advocates, sparking protests and online campaigns demanding reform and justice.
Officer O’Neal Resigns Amid Fallout
City officials confirmed on Saturday that Officer O’Neal had resigned from his position following the internal investigation. While no criminal charges have been filed against him, the incident has left a deep mark on the department’s public image.
Community leaders have expressed concern over the apparent lack of oversight and the potentially devastating consequences of a simple mistake made during a routine traffic stop.
“What happened to Ximena shouldn’t happen to anyone,” said Maria Torres, an advocate with Georgia Immigrant Alliance. “This wasn’t just a wrong turn—this was a wrong stop that led to a young woman being locked in a detention center and fearing for her life in a country she’s called home for nearly her entire life.”
National Spotlight and Ongoing Debate
The case of Ximena Arias-Cristobal is now part of a larger national conversation around immigration enforcement and the intersection of local policing with federal immigration agencies. The timing has also resurfaced discussions around the Trump administration’s legacy of aggressive deportation policies, which are still being enforced in many parts of the country.
Legal experts and human rights groups argue that incidents like this underscore the need for stricter protocols and independent oversight when it comes to law enforcement interactions with undocumented individuals.
As Arias-Cristobal begins to rebuild her life, her story stands as a chilling example of how quickly a single mistake can spiral into a life-threatening situation for undocumented people in the United States.
“I’m just happy to be home,” she said. “But I don’t want anyone else to go through what I did.”
The Dalton Police Department has not commented further on whether additional disciplinary action will be taken or if new training policies will be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
For now, one young woman’s wrongful arrest has not only altered her life but has also exposed cracks in the system that demand attention.
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