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

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

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.

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.

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.”