What started as a routine speeding stop in Decatur ended with 27-year-old Juan Reyes in federal immigration custody hours later. Pulled over for speeding, Reyes was booked into the DeKalb County jail for driving without a license. Jail staff notified federal immigration authorities, and he was transferred to the Stewart Detention Center in south Georgia. His case shows how quickly a basic traffic stop can turn into an immigration problem for people without legal status.
County numbers show traffic stops leading to transfers
As reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, unlicensed driving was the most common underlying offense listed in quarterly sheriff reports from Gwinnett, Hall and Whitfield counties for the first three months of 2026. Gwinnett reported 529 arrests for driving without a license, Hall logged 86 such arrests among 380 immigrant bookings, and Whitfield recorded 41 of 110 immigrant arrests tied to that charge. Those county reports, which are required under the state’s 2024 law, show many foreign-born people booked into local jails lack legal…..