ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A Dalton father is back home after being released on bond from ICE custody.

Jose Arias-Tovar was reunited with his family on Thursday night, but his oldest daughter, Ximena Arias-Cristobal, remains in the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin.

“I’m doing better. I’m happy I’m finally at home, but everybody knows my daughter is still over there,” he said.

RELATED: Attorney: Father of Dalton teen detained by ICE granted bond

Arias-Tovar, who is undocumented, was initially arrested after a traffic stop and spent weeks in custody. He lives in Dalton, where he also owns a construction company.

“When I build a house, maybe I put food for 20 to 30 families in Dalton on their tables,” he said about his employees. “Because I got foundation guys, framers, plumbers, dry wall guys.”

Arias-Tovar said he hopes being an employer and provider will help his case. He admitted he and his wife came into the United States illegally to have the American dream, bringing with them their then 4-year-old daughter, Ximena.

Ximena is now 19 and was also detained earlier this month, after a wrongful traffic stop. This was something Arias-Tovar said he always feared.

“I’m just crying and I said, ‘I can’t believe this,’” he said about the moment he found out his daughter was detained.

RELATED: Traffic charges dropped against Dalton teen in ICE custody, police say

The father said his daughter’s case is a bit more complicated because she is an adult with no children or husband. However, she is a college student.

“He says that Ximena is a wonderful woman and her being deported would be terrible because she would have to restart again,” said Arias-Tovar’s other daughter, translating for her father.

Arias-Tovar said he is worried about Ximena being in custody inside an overcrowded detention center. But he is using his family’s situation as an opportunity to speak for those undocumented people that he said are not criminals, but good people who deserve a chance.

“He says that they understand they came in breaking laws, but they want to fix it,” his daughter said translating for him.

Ximena’s bond hearing is Tuesday.

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