The city confirmed Officer Leslie O’Neal resigned from the Dalton Police Department on Friday.
DALTON, Ga. — The Dalton police officer involved in the arrest of Ximena Arias-Cristibal, who is a college student, during a traffic stop that eventually resulted in her detainment by ICE, has stepped down from his position.
City officials confirmed that Officer Leslie O’Neal stepped down from the Dalton Police Department on Friday, May 23.
“We can confirm that Officer O’Neal submitted his resignation from the DPD on Friday. He was responsible for arresting Ms. Arias-Cristobal,” a spokesperson for the City of Dalton announced in a statement.
The case of Arias-Cristobal attracted national spotlight and originated when she was stopped by police in what city authorities now acknowledge was an erroneous traffic stop.
Dash camera video showed that another car, not Arias-Cristobal’s, made a right turn at a “no right on red” intersection. Despite this, Arias-Cristobal was stopped and arrested. The charges were later dropped, but not before she was handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
She was held for two weeks at Stewart Detention Center before being released on bond Thursday night. Her immigration case is still active.
Her father was also detained by ICE during the same time, but has since been released on bond. He is now applying for “cancellation of removal,” a legal path that may allow him to stay in the U.S.
The Dalton teen’s story drew widespread support from across Georgia and beyond, including protests in Atlanta and the community rallying to raise funds to help with her legal case. Her attorney said the arrest may help support her application for a U visa, which is made available to people who have been victims of “certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity” according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
Arias-Cristobal came to the U.S. with her family at four years old and was not eligible for DACA. She currently has no clear legal path to stay in the country.
“Ximena, however, does not have any qualifying relatives. She does not have a U.S. citizen spouse, parent or child,” said her attorney, Dustin Baxter. “What we’re going to try and do is link her case to her father. If he’s granted permanent residency, she may then qualify as well.”
