Full Breakdown
Olivia Andre’s Release Ordered After Six Months in Texas ICE Detention
5/8/2026, 11:42:29 PM
Court Order and Detention Overview
A district court in San Antonio ordered on Wednesday that ICE must release 19-year-old Olivia Mabiala Andre from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas by Friday. The court held her six-month detention violated constitutional due-process rights.
Family Background and Asylum Journey
Olivia, her mother Carine Balenda Mbizi, and siblings Joel (16) and Estafania (14) fled persecution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mbizi, a dissident, survived assault and torture; the family lost an 8-year-old brother during a river crossing. After a denied asylum claim in Canada in November 2022, they were returned to the United States, entered in December 2022, and filed an asylum application.
Timeline of Key Legal Milestones
November 2022: family seeks asylum in Canada and is detained in the U.S.; December 2022: asylum filing; February 2025: removal order; October 2025: appeal denied; March 2026: mother and siblings released; May 8 2026: judge orders Olivia’s release; May 10 2026: release deadline.
Facility Conditions
Dilley, a privately run center, holds about 400 detainees, including 93 children, and has been criticized for limited water, food, medical care, and delayed eye exams despite chronic headaches.
Official Government and Legal Responses
A DHS spokesperson said Andre has a final removal order and no right to remain, calling the judge “activist.” ICE confirmed the order but gave no reason for continued detention. Attorney Elora Mukherjee called the six-month confinement “unconscionable.” Rep. Chellie Pingree credited public pressure for the release.
Criticism and Advocacy
DHS argued the ruling undermines enforcement, while Pingree and other Democrats labeled Dilley “inhumane” and urged its closure.
Personal Accounts
Andre expressed shock and joy at the news; her mother described the trauma of being separated.
Conflicting Accounts
DHS says Andre has a removal order; the court found her detention unlawful. ICE has not explained why she remained detained after her family’s release.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I couldn’t believe it. I started crying, shaking,” — Olivia Andre
- “Under President Trump, DHS will continue to fight for the removal of those who have no right to be in our country,” — Department of Homeland Security spokesperson
- “I couldn’t think to get out of there and to leave one of my daughters behind me. I have already lost one of my children on our way to the United States. I never recovered from that, and I’m going through a lot of pain when I’m thinking about the fact that Olivia was left behind,” — Carine Mbizi (via interpreter)
- “Olivia’s release is a testament to the power of public pressure, persistent advocacy, and the simple truth that no one seeking safety should be subjected to this kind of needless cruelty,” — Rep. Chellie Pingree
Next Steps
ICE must notify Andre of her release within two hours and arrange transport to Maine. Her pending asylum case will continue before a federal circuit court, and lawmakers are pressing for the shutdown of Dilley and similar facilities.
