Teen Paula De Lima Villafan faces deportation after fender bender

A local teen said a fender bender halted her dreams of serving in the Navy and getting an American college education.

Police said they arrested 18-year-old Paula De Lima Villafan in April for not having a license and the deportation process began.

Villafan told Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh she is being treated like a criminal simply because she wasn't bo here.

"I'm not the only Hispanic who goes through this. Not a lot of people know this story," Villafan said.

Villafan said her family left Uruguay 14 years ago in search of better opportunities in the United States.

'It wasn't my decision to come here. I was 4 years old when I came here," Villafan said.

Her family immigrated legally, but their papers expired years ago. Villafan grew up in Gwinnett County, graduated from Duluth High School, and hoped to join the Navy to help pay for college.

"I wanted to be a gym teacher for elementary school," she said.

Plans changed after the minor traffic accident in April. She spent about five months between the Gwinnett County Jail and an immigration holding facility in Gainesville.

She was released in time to attend her prom and graduation. She reported back to Immigration, Customs and Enforcement for a scheduled hearing June 5.

"They actually told me that I had a removal that I didn't have court and that I had to stay so that they could put an ankle monitor around me," she said.

Villafan showed Kavanaugh pictures of the electronic monitoring device she wore until Tuesday. They removed the monitor, but the clock is still ticking. She has to leave the country in August.

"If they actually look at my record, I have never done anything and to actually treat me like a criminal and chain me up and stuff like that, that hurt," Villafan said.

"A student only. It's my fault. I need the consequence," said Villafan's mother, Nidia.

She said the consequence for her is retuing home with her two American-bo sons. She won't let her daughter go alone.

The teen said she doesn't know if she has any options. But wants her story heard so that the thousands of teens like her might have a different option, someday.

"We're bilingual. We actually are the future," Villafan said.

Villafan's attoey said she will file paperwork on Friday to try and hold off the August deportation.

We reached out to ICE, who said they will review her case when the paperwork is filed.

Spokesperson Vincent Picard emailed GA Daily News the following statement: "Paula De Lima Villafan entered ICE custody at the Gwinnett County Jail April 11 and was released on an order of supervision April 13.

"Ms. Villafan is currently scheduled to report to ICE in August for follow-up on her case. ICE has not received any requests from Ms. Villafan for a stay of removal or deferred action in her case.

"Such requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and take into account a number of factors, including criminal history, length of presence in the United States, age at entry, family relationships and the equities an alien has established in a community over time."