Colorado investigator in Dias Goncalves case placed on leave as case garners more attention

GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado — The Colorado sheriff’s official who pulled over Caroline Dias Goncalves earlier this month, preceding her detention by immigration authorities, has been placed on leave as the investigation into the matter continues.

Related: ICE secretly obtained info from law enforcement chat before detaining U. student in Colorado, sheriff says

Meantime, the detention of the Utah immigrant earlier this month near Grand Junction, Colorado, is garnering more attention from the likes of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and an advocacy group for young immigrants that compares her case to that of Ximena Arias Cristóbal. Arias Cristóbal, who grew up in Georgia, though she’s originally from Mexico, was detained by immigration officials in Georgia in early May after a traffic stop and now faces deportation, according to CBS News.

“While we celebrate the news of (Dias Goncalves’) upcoming release, we also recognize that Caroline — and Ximena Arias Cristóbal and numerous other ‘Dreamers’ recently detained and even deported — should have never been targeted in the first place,” said Gaby Pacheco, president of TheDream.us, in a statement this week. The organization advocates on behalf of student “Dreamers,” immigrants typically brought into the country illegally as kids by their parents.

In its own statement Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security dubbed Dias Gonclaves “an illegal alien from Brazil” and indicated the agency aims to take a strong stand in cases like hers. She apparently overstayed the visa that initially allowed her entry to the country, according to federal authorities.

“Her visa expired over a decade ago. President (Donald) Trump and (Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the U.S. She will remain in ICE custody pending her immigration proceedings,” the statement reads.

Though Dias Goncalves, a 19-year-old University of Utah student, posted bail on Wednesday following an appearance in immigration court, she remained behind bars as of Friday morning at an Aurora, Colorado, immigration detention center, according to family. Originally from Brazil, she grew up in Utah, is studying nursing at the University of Utah and lives in Utah County. She has a pending asylum claim before U.S. immigration officials, according to her lawyer.

“We did everything already, so we’re just waiting for them,” said the family member, who asked not to be named due to concerns about possible repercussions with immigration officials. “They give you no information, zero information. We’re just kind of waiting.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement records also show Dias Goncalves remained in detention as of Friday.

The office of Polis, the Democratic Colorado governor, sounded off on the issue, raising questions about Dias Goncalves’ detention in a statement late Thursday afternoon.

“Reports show Ms. (Dias) Goncalves applied for asylum and therefore would be legally allowed to be in our great country. Gov. Polis was glad to see she will be released on bond, but he calls for more transparency into how immigration operations are being conducted in our state, and continues to call on Congress to do their part to secure the border and pass real immigration reform,” reads the statement from his office.

 

‘Where are you from?’

 

Dias Goncalves was driving to Denver on June 5 when she was stopped near Grand Junction in Mesa County, Colorado, by a Mesa County sheriff’s investigator. That official, Alexander Zwinck, said she had been driving too closely to a semitruck, issued her a warning and sent her on her way after about 20 minutes. Shortly thereafter, she was detained by immigration officials.

In a statement on Monday, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office said federal officials improperly tapped information gleaned from a “communication group” focused on drug interdiction in detaining Dias Goncalves. In a new statement Thursday, the sheriff’s office announced that Zwinck had been placed on administrative leave as the investigation into the June 5 stop continues.

“Any repercussions will be determined by the outcome of the full administrative investigation,” reads the statement.

As part of the probe, Mesa County officials are reviewing communication between local, state and federal officials via Signal, the messaging app, to make sure county officials involved “acted within Mesa County Sheriff’s Office policies and Colorado law,” reads Thursday’s statement.

The sheriff’s office said Monday that the multi-departmental communication was meant to aid law enforcement in fighting drug trafficking. Thursday’s statement said the investigation aims, in part, “to understand if and when Mesa County Sheriff’s Office employees were made aware that the information shared for drug interdiction efforts was being utilized for immigration enforcement.”

The sheriff’s office publicly posted video from Zwinck’s body camera that shows the interaction between the officer and Dias Goncalves. She ultimately went to his patrol vehicle, sitting in the front passenger seat as the investigator processed her identity and auto information.

“Where are you from? You’ve got a little bit of an accent,” the officer asks at one point.

“I’m from Utah,” she answers.

“You’re from Utah. How long have you lived in Utah for?” he asks.

“Uh, 12 years,” she answers.

“Born and raised or no?” Zwinck asks.

“Uh, no. I was born in … Oh my gosh, I always forget. I was born in Brazil,” Dias Goncalves says.

“Oh, that’s cool,” Zwinck says.

“My parents live here, so …,” she replies, trailing off.

Shortly thereafter, the officer gives Dias Goncalves the warning in the traffic matter and she continues on her way.

“There’s no court. There’s no fine. There’s no nothing. Take it easy on the semis, OK?” Zwinck says.

“I’m sorry,” she answers.

In the Arias Cristóbal case in Georgia, the young woman, also 19, was stopped for an alleged traffic offense, though charges in the matter were later dismissed, according to CBS. Brought to the United States by her parents from Mexico when she was 4, Arias Cristóbal was picked up by immigration officials after that traffic stop, though, and now faces deportation.

In her statement Wednesday, Pacheco of TheDream.US questioned the value of focusing on immigrants like Dias Goncalves and Arias Cristóbal. “America’s national interests are better served by delivering education and legal status for ‘Dreamers’ instead of raids, detentions and deportations,” she said.

In the Department of Homeland Security message Friday, the agency reiterated its call for immigrants here illegally to self-deport using a U.S. Customs and Border Protection app designed to encourage such action.

“The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live American dream,” the statement reads. “If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”