
‘We feel blindsided': Family of Trump supporters shocked after Canadian mother living in US for 35 years detained over immigration status
The family of Canadian national living in the US, Cynthia Olivera, felt betrayed by the Donald Trump administration after she was detained by federal agents in Chatsworth, California, over her immigration status. The incident took place on June 13, 2025, when Olivera, who backed Trump's plan for mass deportation of immigrants, was interviewed for permanent US residency. The agents began working to expel her from the country, from Toronto, without permission.Speaking about Olivera's detention, her husband, who is a US citizen and identifies himself as a Trump supporter, told the California news station KGTV, 'We feel totally blindsided.' 'I want my vote back,' he said. Olivera has been living in the US for the last 35 years and came to the country at the age of 10.It is pertinent to mention that being in the US without carrying a legal status is generally a civil infraction rather than a criminal violation. According to the Guardian, the White House has been emphasizing that anyone in the US who does not have legal status is a criminal subject to deportation. This prevails despite the claim that the immigration crackdown is largely focused on getting rid of violent criminals.Olivera, 45, is a mother of three US-born children. Her husband told KGTV that she unintentionally came under the scanner due to those policies after the US President spent his 2024 presidential election campaign promising to pursue them.
In 1999, when Olivera was 19, US immigration officials at the Buffalo border crossing had determined that she was living in the country without legal status, according to The Guardian. They obtained an expedited order to deport her. She, however, was able to return to the US by driving to San Diego from Mexico within a few months. 'They didn't ask me for my citizenship—they didn't do nothing… They just waved me in,' Olivera later told KGTV.
KGTV reported that its investigative team scoured California and federal court databases, but the unit found no criminal charges under Cynthia Oliver's name.Joe Biden's administration granted her a permit allowing her to work legally in the US in 2024, before his presidency ended. She had also been seeking legal permanent US residency—colloquially referred to as a green card—for years.Olivera's husband extended his support to Trump in the November 2024 White House election. Trump's plan to deport criminals en masse appealed to both him and Cynthia, he told KGTV. It was on June 13, 2025, that Cynthia Olivera and her husband were left shocked when they learned that she would be affected by her immigration status when she went for a green card interview in Chatsworth, California. She was detained there by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, according to a change.org petition pleading for compassion on behalf of Cynthia.
According to The Guardian, Olivera has since been transferred to an ICE detention center in El Paso, Texas, to await being deported. She suggested her treatment was undeserved.'The US is my country,' she told KGTV over a video call from the El Paso facility, The Guardian reported. She further told the station in an interview published on 3 July. 'That's where I met my husband. That's where I went to high school, junior high, and elementary school. That's where I had my kids.'But the Trump administration seemed to be unmoved, with a spokesperson calling Cynthia 'an illegal alien from Canada.'Olivera had been 'previously deported and chose to ignore our law and again illegally entered the country,' said the spokesperson's statement, as reported by Newsweek.The statement noted that re-entering the US without permission after being deported is a felony, and it said Olivera would remain in ICE's custody 'pending removal to Canada.'Commenting on Cynthia Olivera's detention, Canada's government told KGTV that it was aware of the matter but could not intervene on her behalf because 'every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Mint
6 minutes ago
- Mint
Trump Promises More Weapons for Ukraine and Criticizes Putin
President Donald Trump said he'd ship more weapons to Ukraine, marking an apparent reversal after the Pentagon halted flows of some air-defense missiles and artillery shells to the country. 'We're going to send some more weapons,' Trump told reporters at the start of a dinner with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday evening. 'We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard now.' Trump didn't specify what the US would provide except to say the armaments would be 'defense weapons primarily.' The president's comments will offer a measure of relief to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who spoke with Trump on Friday in an effort to get the halt lifted. Trump has also tried to broker peace in talks with Moscow, which have so far failed to end the war. Russia has been pounding Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with record numbers of drones and missiles. Trump lamented the thousands of people who have been killed and said he wasn't happy with President Vladimir Putin for keeping up attacks. 'I'm disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn't stopped,' Trump said. 'I'm not happy about it.' The Pentagon said last week the pause was necessary while the US reviews its stockpiles and weighs the need to save weapons for other threats. While stockpile numbers are classified, the weapons Ukraine needs most aren't urgently required elsewhere and there was no immediate need to deny the country weapons that were already on their way, they said. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday that Trump had told Zelenskiy in the Friday phone call he'd ordered a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles after the US attack on Iran last month but didn't order the halt. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the review when he took office. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.


News18
10 minutes ago
- News18
How Elon Musk Could Upend US Politics—And Why India Should Pay Attention
Last Updated: Elon Musk's new American Party could have ripple effects for India, given his deep business ties and disruptive influence. Find out how Billionaire Elon Musk has made his starkest threat to President Donald Trump after he stepped away from politics by launching his 'American Party'. The development comes after Musk condemned Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill" (new tax bill) on social media platform X a few days ago. 'Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," he wrote. The President on Sunday assailed Musk, describing him as 'off the rails", over his new party announcement. 'I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday evening. 'He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States." The American Party confirms the rupture in Trump's relationship with Musk, who spent millions of dollars to support the Republican leaders in his campaign. Trump, in return, rewarded the businessman with a new position in the Department Of Government Efficiency, which oversaw drastic cuts to government staffing. Let us understand how Musk's new party threatens Trump's political capital and how the President could hurt the businessman. How Musk Could Threaten Trump Politically? With a net worth of $405 billion, Musk could single-handedly reshape US politics. In 2024, he poured $295 million into Republican campaigns—mostly backing Trump. While that's a record-breaking sum in politics, it's pocket change for Musk. For context, in 2023 and 2024, the total amount of money raised by all presidential candidates was only $2 billion, according to the Federal Election Commission. Congressional candidates raised $3.8 billion, while PACs raised a more respectable $15.7 billion. It won't be difficult for Musk to match those amounts because his wealth is tied up in stocks that can't easily be unloaded all at once. Based on last week's share prices, he could pay for the entire 2024 election cycle by liquidating just one fifth of his reported $130 billion stake in Tesla. He has also suggested donating the amount to Republican representative Thomas Massie, a persistent critic of Trump's. There's still another $100 million Musk previously promised Trump that he could decide to withhold, as per The Independent. He could even bankroll Democrats, who will likely take it (although Trump has threatened 'serious consequences" in that scenario). They are politicians, after all. While third parties rarely challenge America's two-party system, Musk's billions could disrupt the 2026 congressional elections — if he chooses to spend big, reports NPR. Interestingly, Musk believes that 80% of Americans share his views—a claim that seems far from reality. According to polling expert Nate Silver, Musk's net favourability stands at a weighted average of -18%, significantly lower than even Trump's, The Independent reported. Clash Of Personalities Musk has cultivated a loyal following that mirrors—and in some ways surpasses—the fervent base of Trump. Both men command near-religious devotion from supporters, blending celebrity, controversy, and populist rhetoric to dominate public discourse. But while Trump's appeal stems from his 'America First" nationalism and brash persona, Musk's influence is built on his image as a visionary technocrat, the real-life Tony Stark bending the future to his will. His tweets move markets, his memes go viral, and his every pronouncement sparks global debate. Where Trump mastered TV and rallies, Musk dominates X (formerly Twitter), using the platform to amplify conspiracy theories, troll critics, and position himself as a free-speech crusader. The parallels run deep. Both men thrive on polarisation, calling themselves as anti-establishment outsiders despite their immense wealth and power. Trump had his 'fake news" mantra; Musk decries 'woke mind viruses." Both attract fans who see them as truth-tellers fighting corrupt elites—even as Musk's companies benefit from government subsidies and Trump's presidency was defined by corporate favouritism. Their supporters dismiss scandals (Trump's indictments, Musk's erratic behaviour) as evidence of a rigged system targeting their hero. But Musk's cult may be more dangerous because it's apolitical at its core. Trump's base is ideological; Musk's is transactional, united by tech utopianism rather than policy. As the 2024 election showed, his endorsements—or withheld donations—can sway races. With his wealth, platform, and fanbase, Musk doesn't just rival Trump's influence—he's rewriting the rules of political power itself. The question isn't whether he'll reshape elections, but how far he's willing to go. How Musk Has Global Influence Musk's power extends far beyond any single nation or sector, giving him leverage few can match. For example, NASA depends entirely on SpaceX—currently the only reliable transporter of astronauts to the International Space Station. His satellite venture, Starlink, has become indispensable to militaries and governments worldwide, including US agencies. But his influence is far beyond. Thanks to Tesla's role in jumpstarting China's electric vehicle dominance, Musk enjoys both a massive fanbase in China and good relations with the Chinese Communist Party. Reports show Chinese supporters rally behind him—one Weibo user recently declared, 'Brother Musk, you've got over a billion people on our side backing you." Perhaps most intriguing, however, is the political ammunition Musk may possess. After spending months deeply embedded in Trump's White House, he likely holds insider knowledge that could damage Trump if revealed. Musk recently hinted at Trump's inclusion in the Epstein files, reviving long-standing (though unproven) associations between Trump and the disgraced financier. While nothing new, the remark demonstrates Musk's willingness to weaponise controversy. What Musk's Party Means For India? Musk's new American Party could have ripple effects for India, given his deep business ties and disruptive influence. As the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of X, Musk wields significant economic and technological leverage—factors that directly impact India's tech and space ambitions. If his party gains traction, it could reshape US-India relations, particularly in areas like trade, climate policy, and defence. India has actively courted Musk, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking Tesla to invest in local manufacturing and SpaceX exploring partnerships with ISRO for satellite broadband via Starlink. A Musk-aligned US political movement prioritising deregulation and private-sector innovation could accelerate these collaborations, benefiting India's renewable energy and space sectors. However, his unpredictable stance on issues like free speech and trade protectionism might introduce volatility. For instance, if Musk pushes for US tech dominance at the expense of global partnerships, Indian start-ups relying on American markets or investments could face hurdles. top videos View all Politically, Musk's anti-establishment rhetoric could resonate with India's youth and tech elites, but his libertarian leanings could be an issue with India's regulatory frameworks. His influence could also complicate India's balancing act between the US and China—especially if his party takes a hardline stance on Beijing, given Tesla's reliance on Chinese supply chains. While Musk's political venture might open doors for tech-driven cooperation, India must navigate his policies and prepare for both opportunities and disruptions in trade, diplomacy, and innovation. About the Author Shilpy Bisht Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience. Her More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : elon musk India-US relations SpaceX Starlink Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 07, 2025, 14:35 IST News india How Elon Musk Could Upend US Politics—And Why India Should Pay Attention


Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize after meeting at White House, Gaza ceasefire discussed
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that he has nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, an honour the American leader has long coveted after one of his predecessor's, Barack Obama, received it in 2009. Netanyahu handed a copy of the letter to Trump which he had sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee with his name in the nomination form. Netanyahu described Trump's 'leadership of a just cause' as he allowed US planes to enter the Iranian airspace and target its nuclear facilities last month, which also brought a 12-day Israel-Iran conflict to an end. Netanyahu termed Trump in the 'pursuit of peace and security' in 'many lands' as the Israeli prime minister praised the US president's 'extraordinary team'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents President Trump with a letter nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 7, 2025 'I want to express the appreciation and admiration, not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people and many, many admirers around the world for your leadership,' Netanyahu said, reported The Independent. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today at Blair House in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They first held an expanded meeting and then met privately. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 7, 2025 Netanyahu is in the United States for his third visit after Trump returned to the White House in January and his first meeting with the US president after the Iran conflict ended. Before leaving for Washington, the Israeli leader had said that his discussions with the Trump administration could help advance negotiations under way in Qatar between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Netanyahu, during a brief press interaction ahead of a 'private dinner' with Trump said, 'I think our teams together make an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities. But the President has already realized great opportunities. He forged the Abraham accords. He's forging peace, as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other.' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt detailed the meeting between Netanyahu and Trump and said that there were 'many important matters' that were 'obviously ongoing' in the Middle East region for the leaders to discuss.