Judge Orders Olivia Andre Dilley Detention Release by Friday
A judge ordered Olivia Mabiala Andre, 19, released by Friday after nearly six months in ICE custody, a turn that could end her separation from family in Maine. The olivia andre dilley detention release order came Wednesday after her case drew national attention and prompted public advocacy from Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree and Rachel Griffin Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel.
Dilley Immigration Processing Center
Todd Pomerleau said Wednesday evening that, “She’s just overjoyed and ecstatic and going through a lot of emotions, but she’s getting out.” Olivia had been held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, where Pingree visited her on Tuesday and spoke with her for about an hour.
Pingree said in a written statement Wednesday evening, “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.” Pingree also said, “Now, ICE must release Olivia without delay so she can be reunited with her family and begin to heal where she belongs: at home in Maine.”
Carine Balenda Mbizi and siblings
Olivia, her mother, Carine Balenda Mbizi, and her siblings Joel and Estefania Andre were taken into custody by U.S. Border & Customs Protection after the family sought asylum in Canada on Nov. 12. Border Patrol said the family entered the United States illegally in 2022, and a judge ordered the family’s removal in February 2025. Their appeal was denied in October.
Mbizi and the two siblings were released in March after attorneys argued that the mother and two high schoolers had to be released under the Flores Settlement Agreement. Olivia remained in ICE custody after the others were freed, making Wednesday’s release order the first change to her own status since March.
Ms. Rachel and Chellie Pingree
Accurso’s public call for Olivia’s release gave the case a larger audience, while Pingree’s visit in Texas put a member of Congress in direct contact with Olivia less than a day before the order. The judge’s ruling now sets the conditions for Olivia’s release by Friday, ending a detention that stretched close to six months and shifting the story from advocacy to the mechanics of getting her home.
