logo
Who is Cynthia Olivera and why was the Canadian mother detained by ICE in California

Who is Cynthia Olivera and why was the Canadian mother detained by ICE in California

Hindustan Times19 hours ago
Cynthia Olivera, a 45-year-old Canadian-born mother of three US-citizen children, was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month, during a green card interview in Chatsworth, California. She and her husband both supported President Donald Trump's plans to conduct mass deportations. Cynthia Olivera was detained by ICE agents in California(AFP)
'We feel totally blindsided,' Olivera's husband, a US citizen and self-identified Trump voter Francisco Olivera, told KGTV. "I want my vote back.'
Cynthia's case, tied to a 1999 deportation order, has drawn attention.
Read More: 6-year-old with leukemia detained by ICE. Then this happens
Who Is Cynthia Olivera?
Born in Mississauga, Ontario, Olivera moved to the US at age 10 with her parents from Toronto. She has lived in Los Angeles for over 35 years, attending elementary, junior high, and high school there.
She married Francisco Olvera, a US citizen, in the 1990s, and they have three US-born children. Olivera worked legally in 2024 under a Biden-era work permit, paid taxes, and has no criminal record.
In 2023, with her children grown, Olivera hired a lawyer to pursue legal residency through her marriage, culminating in the June 13, 2025, green card interview.
Read More: Why was Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr arrested by ICE agents? Key details emerge
Why Was She Detained by ICE?
In 1999, Olivera traveled to Canada for her mother's funeral. At the Buffalo border crossing, she was denied re-entry after disclosing she was pregnant and planned to give birth in the US, leading to an expedited removal order for residing in the US illegally.
She re-entered via San Diego months later without inspection, which ICE later cited as a felony.
During her green card interview in Chatsworth, ICE agents detained her after a security guard singled her out. Her husband waited outside, and the interviewing officer did not return.
She was handcuffed and transferred to an El Paso, Texas, detention center. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, 'ICE arrested Cynthia Ivanna Olivera, an illegal alien from Canada, who was previously deported and chose to ignore our law.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Multilateralism must Trump US-first policy
Multilateralism must Trump US-first policy

Economic Times

timean hour ago

  • Economic Times

Multilateralism must Trump US-first policy

Donald Trump's America-first stance reflects his belief that the US has lost global dominance, and he aims to restore the US to its former glory by ensuring that the world 'respects' the US. On Sunday, Trump injected himself into the summit of the BRICS group of nations in Rio de Janeiro, warning countries that aligning with the 'anti-American' policies of the grouping would attract a 10% tariff. At the summit, BRICS leaders expressed 'serious concerns' about the rise in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures'. Though the US was not mentioned by name, the signals were clear. Whether it is BRICS, of which the US is not a member, or the Quad, of which it is, what is increasingly clear is that the Trump administration is focused on pursuing an 'America for itself' policy. Washington has hosted two Quad foreign ministers' meetings in the last six months, with a focus on security. There is little doubt that this recalibration is driven by China's ambitions and influence in the Indo-Pacific region. But then, Trump's US is not the poster child for steady ties-consider the renewed engagement with Pakistan. The BRICS summit was about what lies ahead-how emerging economies deliver on their promises. Contrary to Trump's apprehension, the US remains the pre-eminent global power. That explains China's response to the 10% additional tariff. The Rio summit and the Quad foreign ministers' meeting point to the same thing: multilateralism remains the only viable response. To ensure that the world does not move from a US-dominated world order to one defined by the Beijing-Kremlin combine, countries like India need to step up and engage more globally to build a multilateral system that is fit for the 21st century.

‘I would think not': Trump not to rehire fired meteorologists after Texas flood forecast failures
‘I would think not': Trump not to rehire fired meteorologists after Texas flood forecast failures

Mint

timean hour ago

  • Mint

‘I would think not': Trump not to rehire fired meteorologists after Texas flood forecast failures

As the death toll from catastrophic flooding in Texas climbed to at least 82, including 28 children, President Donald Trump defended his administration's response while fielding criticism over past budget cuts to federal weather agencies. Speaking to reporters before departing his Bedminster golf club, Trump called the floods a 'horrible thing' and insisted no one could have predicted the devastation. 'This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it,' Trump said. 'Very talented people there, and they didn't see it.' The President added that he planned to visit Kerr County, where floodwaters rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, later in the week. 'I would have done it today, but we'd just be in their way,' he said. 'It's a horrible thing that took place, absolutely horrible.' Some meteorologists and former federal officials questioned whether years of staffing reductions under Trump contributed to inadequate warnings ahead of the storm. Rick Spinrad, former director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said that widespread job cuts had left weather offices understaffed, although he could not confirm whether that directly impacted forecasts for the Texas floods. 'They would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts,' Spinrad warned. When pressed on whether the staffing reductions had weakened the disaster response, Trump deflected, referencing his Democratic predecessor. 'That water situation, that all is, and that was really the Biden setup,' he said. 'But I wouldn't blame Biden for it, either. I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe.' The Trump administration has dramatically reduced staffing at the agencies responsible for forecasting and climate research. The President has previously floated plans to overhaul or even eliminate FEMA, saying states should take on more responsibility during disasters. Asked on Sunday whether he still intended to dismantle the agency, Trump indicated that discussion would come later. 'That's something we can talk about later, but right now we are busy working,' he said. Trump also confirmed he did not plan to rehire any of the federal meteorologists laid off earlier this year as part of sweeping government spending cuts. 'I would think not,' he said. 'This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it. Nobody saw it.' Despite the controversy, Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, which activated FEMA to help Texas respond to the crisis. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees FEMA and NOAA, acknowledged the National Weather Service's initial alerts did not fully anticipate the severity of the flooding. 'A moderate flood watch issued on Thursday had not accurately predicted the extreme rainfall,' Noem said, adding that the administration was working to upgrade forecasting systems. Trump closed his remarks with condolences to those affected. 'God bless all of the people that have gone through so much, and God bless, God bless the state of Texas,' he said.

Priyank Kharge questions ‘immature approach' of ‘young BJP MP' who ‘broke protocol' to meet Trump
Priyank Kharge questions ‘immature approach' of ‘young BJP MP' who ‘broke protocol' to meet Trump

The Print

timean hour ago

  • The Print

Priyank Kharge questions ‘immature approach' of ‘young BJP MP' who ‘broke protocol' to meet Trump

The news report mentions that it was a 'young BJP Member of Parliament' without naming anyone. Citing a 'news report', Priyank Kharge, Karnataka minister for Information Technology/Biotechnology, posted on X: 'If this news report of the BJP MP's immature approach is accurate, it is nothing short of disgraceful. Serious questions must be answered.' Priyank Kharge posted a series of questions: 'How did a sitting MP bypass all established diplomatic protocols to meet a former head of state? Was the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed or consulted at any stage? When part of an official delegation, what justified this impulsive and immature conduct? Who is this young BJP MP and what action has the Government taken to address this breach of decorum?' Bengaluru: Adding grist to the rumour mill about a Bharatiya Janata Party MP breaking protocol to meet US president Donald Trump during a parliamentary delegation's visit, the Congress on Monday called it an 'insult to India's institutional integrity and diplomatic standing'. The purported meeting had taken place during the Shashi Tharoor-led delegation's visit to the US as part of India's outreach to foreign countries after Operation Sindoor. Apart from Tharoor, the delegation to the US included three BJP MPs—Bhubaneswar Kalita (Rajya Sabha member from Assam), Shashank Mani Tripathi (Deoria MP) and Tejasvi Surya (Bengaluru South MP)—among others. As Kalita is 74 years old, the Congress leader's X post seemed to point a finger at either Tripathi (55) or Surya (34). ThePrint has reached out to Tharoor and Surya, too, for comment. This report will be updated if and when they reply. The U.S. visit was one of the stops in the long list of countries the delegation visited which included Guyana, Panama, Colombia, and Brazil. 'It's deeply ironic, while the Centre routinely denies permission to state-led investment delegations with no explanation, BJP MPs seem to have the liberty to flout protocol for photo-ops,' Priyank Kharge wrote. If this news report of the BJP MP's immature approach is accurate, it is nothing short of disgraceful. Serious questions must be answered: •How did a sitting MP bypass all established diplomatic protocols to meet a former head of state? •Was the Ministry of External Affairs… — Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) July 7, 2025 He posted a picture of the delegation in the USA as well as a news article from the Parliamentarian, a portal. It reported that the 'young MP' was irked by the fact that a fellow delegation member, Milind Deora, had a 'pre-scheduled' meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, the US President's sons. After failing to arrange a similar meeting, the MP claimed he would meet the American president himself which was later arranged by an old US-based friend of the Indian parliamentarian. The MP then travelled to Mar-a-Lago, the Trump family estate in Florida. There, the report added, the MP was introduced to Trump as a 'close associate of the Indian head of state' but the meeting did not go as expected. The report stated that Trump's 'bluntness' turned the meeting sour. The news of the young MPs' ambitious efforts travelled back to India where he was pulled up for his actions, the report added. But there is still no word on who this MP is. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Hours after son Priyank threatens ban, RSS shares visuals of Mallikarjun Kharge at 2002 Sangh event

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store