Family Feels Betrayed by Trump After Canadian Mother’s Detention by ICE

• Cynthia Olivera: Her Family Feels Betrayed
• Detention During Immigration Interview
• Trump Intensifies Mass Deportations

A family who once enthusiastically supported President Trump’s hardline immigration stance has turned against him after experiencing its consequences firsthand.

The detention of Cynthia Olivera—a Canadian mother of three U.S.-born children—during her appointment for legal residency in California sparked outrage from her husband, who declared:

“I want my vote back.”

The Story of Cynthia Olivera

“I Want My Vote Back”: The Husband’s Reaction

Cynthia Olivera’s family had openly supported Donald Trump’s proposals to tighten deportations. But everything changed when federal agents arrested her while she was trying to regularize her status.

“We were totally blindsided,” said Francisco Olivera—a U.S. citizen and self-declared Trump voter—to California news station KGTV. “I want my vote back.”

The experience shattered Francisco’s trust in Trump’s promises to target only violent criminals for deportation, revealing how deportations also affect people with no criminal record.

An Immigration Story Marked by Adversity

Cynthia Olivera, 45, mother of three U.S.-born children, was brought from Canada to the United States when she was 10 years old.

In 1999, immigration agents intercepted her at the Buffalo border crossing and issued her an expedited deportation order for being in the country without legal status. Although she was deported, she returned months later from Mexico to San Diego.

“They didn’t ask me for citizenship—they didn’t do anything,” she later told KGTV. In her July 3 interview, she added: “The U.S. is my country. I met my husband there. I went to high school and elementary school there. I had my kids there.”

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Trump’s Toughened Policies and ICE Raids

After returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump relaunched his immigration offensive, promising to focus on dangerous criminals.

However, his administration has repeatedly stated that anyone without legal status is a “criminal” subject to deportation.

Olivera was arrested on June 13 during her green card interview in Chatsworth, California.

From there, she was transferred to an ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas, where she is awaiting deportation.

Official Response and Family’s Disillusionment

A spokesperson for the Trump administration showed no sympathy, describing her as “an illegal alien from Canada.”

“She was previously deported and chose to ignore our laws by re-entering the country illegally,” the statement cited by Newsweek read.

The Canadian government confirmed to KGTV that it is aware of her detention but clarified that “each country or territory decides who may enter or leave its borders.”

Francisco Olivera summed up his disappointment: “My wife… until just a couple of weeks ago, was a firm believer in what was going to happen over the next four years.”

Tearful Defense from Cynthia Olivera

From the detention center in El Paso, Cynthia shared her story with KGTV via video call, denouncing the treatment she has received.

“The only crime I committed was loving this country, working hard, and supporting my kids,” she said tearfully. “They simply let me in.”

She recounted that for 25 years, she worked in Los Angeles, paid taxes, and supported her family. According to KGTV, there are no records of criminal charges against her in either California’s state or federal court databases.

A Vote Turned Against Them

Ironically, Cynthia’s husband voted for Trump in November 2024.

As he told KGTV, the couple supported Trump’s promise to deport criminals, never imagining that Cynthia would be caught up in the policy. Even with a work permit granted in 2024 under the Biden administration, and years spent pursuing permanent residency, her immigration status ultimately worked against her.

Now, Cynthia plans to return to Canada to stay with a cousin in Mississauga, although no date has been set for her departure.

“We were totally blindsided,” Francisco repeated, demanding back the vote he believes was betrayed.

The case of Cynthia Olivera exposes the complexities and contradictions of U.S. immigration policy, reminding us that behind every statistic lie divided families and difficult decisions.

What do you think about how immigration policies are being enforced in the United States?

SOURCE: The Guardian