A college student was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after a cop noticed she had ‘a bit of an accent’ during a routine traffic stop.
Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, was pulled over on the Colorado Interstate 70 on June 5, accused of driving too close to a semi-truck.
The University of Utah nursing student complied with the officer, identified as Investigator Alexander Zwinck, by handing over all of her documentation and paperwork.
In bodyworn camera footage seen by DailyMail.com, Zwinck told Goncalves he would let her off with just a warning, asking: ‘Where are you from? You have a bit of an accent.’
Goncalves answered: ‘I’m from Utah.’
Zwinck asked how long she’d been living in Utah and whether she was ‘born and raised there’, to which she cautiously answered: ‘No. I was born in, um, gosh I always forget the town.. down in Brazil.’
‘My parents moved here,’ she added.
Zwinck appeared unfazed by her answer, moving on to ask her questions about her boyfriend, her weekend plans and her dreams of becoming a nurse.
Mistake #1: Personal questions are none of the pig’s business. Respectfully decline to answer any such questions.
After explaining to her once again that he was giving her a warning which would not require any following up, he sent her on her way, wishing her safe travels and urging her to give semi trucks on the road a little more space.
But minutes after the friendly interaction, Goncalves was pulled over again by ICE agents as she exited the freeway, and taken into custody.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office has since revealed that Zwinck was part of a group chat with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners which was used to improve multi-agency cooperation to stem the drug trafficking trade.
‘We were unaware that the communication group was used for anything other than drug interdiction efforts, including immigration,’ the statement read.
‘We have since removed all Mesa County Sheriff’s Office members from the communication group.’
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Goncalves is now being held in Denver Detention Facility.
She is one of 2.5 million Dreamers in the United States, referring to undocumented migrants who were brought to the US as young children.
It is understood her family arrived in the US on a tourist visa, which they overstayed. Her father then applied for asylum, and that case is pending.
Goncalves earned a coveted TheDream.US national scholarship, which allows undocumented youth to help finance college.
While her asylum claim was pending, she had been granted temporary rights to work.
A GoFundMe set up by a friend to help Goncalves’ family cover legal costs associated with her detention has already raised $25,000.
‘Caroline has always followed the law, passionately pursued her education, and dreamed of a future full of opportunity,’ the fundraising page reads.
‘Yet she now finds herself unlawfully detained, frightened, and far from the safety and support she deserves.’
Nursing student detained by ICE after cop’s shocking observation
Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, was pulled over on the Colorado Interstate 70 on June 5, accused of driving too close to a semi-truck.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14822749/college-student-caroline-dias-goncalves-detained-ice-traffic-stop.html
