A Dunwoody High student faces possible deportation after a traffic stop revealed a removal order ATLANTA — An 18-year-old Dunwoody High School student is in federal immigration custody following a traffic stop last month, a case his attorney says raises broader concerns about immigration enforcement and due process. Axel Rios, a junior and soccer player at Dunwoody High School, is being held at the Folkston ICE Detention Center, about five hours from his family. His attorney says he now faces possible deportation after what began as a stop for an alleged traffic violation. Husband and wife Alex and Sarah Cornejo are representing Rios. According to attorney Sarah Cornejo, Rios was pulled over near his school for allegedly running a stop sign. During the stop, officers determined he did not have a driver’s license and took him into custody. “They allege that he drove through a stop sign… they find that he didn’t have a driver’s license, and that’s when they chose to take him into custody,” Cornejo said. Cornejo said authorities later discovered a prior order of removal and contacted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Rios was subsequently transferred to federal custody. Rios has lived in the United States since he was 4 years old after his family fled Honduras for their safety, according to his attorney. Cornejo said his mom was unaware of the removal order after leaving Florida, fleeing a domestic violence situation. “He’s been here since he was a small child… she fled and wasn't getting mail forwarded to her that’s why she didn’t know about any orders,” Cornejo said. The teen’s detention has disrupted what his attorney described as a typical routine of school and family responsibilities. “His life consisted of going to high school and helping his mom take care of his eight-year-old sister,” Cornejo said, adding that detention has been especially difficult for someone his age. “Very scary place, especially for a high school student… he may be 18, but he’s still a baby.” Cornejo argued the case reflects broader concerns about immigration policy and its impact on young people. “I think under the current immigration policies we lack a lot of empathy… the most affected are the children that are being taken into custody when he didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. Legal efforts are underway to challenge the removal order. Cornejo said paperwork was filed Tuesday, and ICE has accepted it for review. Rios’ family hopes that process will lead to his release. The case is one of at least two involving DeKalb County high school students that the legal team has handled. In a separate case, another student was released before being taken into ICE custody. For now, Rios remains detained as his legal status is reviewed, with his family awaiting a decision that will determine whether he can return home or be deported.