Caroline Dias Goncalves, a 19-year-old Brazilian student living in Utah, was arrested on June 5 following a routine traffic stop in Colorado. She is now being held in a detention center in Denver and faces possible deportation after her information was reportedly shared with immigration authorities through a private Signal messaging group used by law enforcement.
According to The Independent, Goncalves was pulled over in Grand Junction for a minor traffic violation, with a sheriff’s deputy from Mesa County citing her for following a truck too closely. Bodycam footage reportedly shows a cordial interaction between the officer and the student, who spoke about her studies at the University of Utah and her plans to attend nursing school.
Although initially released with only a warning, Goncalves was detained minutes later by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who appeared to have been alerted to her presence through messages exchanged in a Signal group intended for coordination among local and federal law enforcement. The Independent reports that the group was originally created for organizing anti-drug operations in the area.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged that the use of this messaging group allowed ICE to identify Goncalves. In a statement shared by The Independent, local authorities claimed they were unaware the group could be used for immigration enforcement purposes and have since withdrawn their officers from it.
The incident raises legal concerns, as Colorado restricts—but does not outright ban—collaboration between local police and immigration authorities. The Independent notes that ICE’s use of the information may be in conflict with state law.
Goncalves arrived in the United States in 2012 with her family on a tourist visa, which they overstayed, citing threats of violence in Brazil. The family applied for asylum three years ago, which granted them work permits and Social Security numbers, according to The Independent.
Family members say Goncalves was attending school on a merit-based scholarship and had no criminal record. A GoFundMe page has been launched to help cover legal expenses. “Caroline has always followed the law and dedicated herself to her studies. Today, she is unjustly detained and far from everything she knows,” reads the fundraiser, as cited by The Independent. Her relatives also report that she is currently sharing a cell with 17 other detainees under harsh conditions.
The Independent notes that her case parallels that of another “Dreamer,” Ximena Arias-Cristobal, who was recently arrested under similar circumstances.
