Olivia's Nightmare: Detained in Texas, Yearning for Maine

0:00On April 9, 19-year-old Olivia, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been stuck in a Texas immigration detention center for over four months, calling it a never-ending nightmare. She got caught with her mom and two younger siblings trying to cross into Canada after their U.S. asylum claim got denied. Now she's alone at the Dilly facility, separated multiple times from her family, even after brief reunions. Earlier this year, the family lived in Maine where Olivia finished high school and trained as a nurse's assistant. They headed north for better asylum chances, but ended up detained right at the border. Officials split her off because she's legally an adult, shuffling her between centers while her mom and siblings went to Dilly first. Olivia's days dragged with sleepless nights, pacing, crying, and low energy, sharing a room and watching TV to pass time. She finally found her family there by chance, getting limited visits until they released her relatives in March, leaving her heartbroken and isolated. Again, recent reports from legal groups highlight harsh conditions at Dilly, like bad food and health issues for detainees, with thousands of doctors urging, releases.

1:08Officials deny family separations or poor standards, pushing self deportation instead, even though Olivia has a stay-on removal during her appeal. Her case could stretch into the year, but she's holding on through video calls with her family, dreaming of nursing jobs and beach trips back in Maine, once she's out.