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Honor student detained by ICE weeks before graduation despite legal status

Mar 26, 2026 · Cedartown, GA

Honor student detained by ICE weeks before graduation despite legal status

Jaqueline Ramirez Juarez, a National Honor Society member and honors student at Cedartown High School in Polk County, Georgia, was detained by ICE weeks before graduation. The senior, accepted to Georgia Highlands College to study nursing, was arrested by Polk County Police on March 26 for traffic violations and held in county jail for four days before ICE took her into custody following her release. According to a GoFundMe page created on her behalf, she has legal immigration status, has no criminal record, lives in a single-parent household where she helps care for younger siblings, and had lived in the United States since childhood. Her family is raising money to pay an immigration bond and legal fees to secure her release while her case is reviewed.

Timeline

Jul 19, 2026Both Elder Aguilar Macario and Jaqueline Ramirez Juarez remain detained; schools honor them during graduation with framed portraits, caps, gowns, and reserved seats
Mar 30, 2026Ramirez Juarez released from county jail; ICE takes her into custody
Mar 26, 2026Jaqueline Ramirez Juarez arrested by Polk County Police for traffic violations and held in county jail

Sources

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