Teen says judge’s order for her release from immigration detention had her family screaming with joy

EXCLUSIVEImmigrationImmigrationTeen says judge’s order for her release from immigration detention had her family screaming with joyOlivia Andre, 19, has been held at the Dilley immigration facility in Texas for nearly two months after her family was released. A judge said she must be freed by Friday.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Olivia Andre, a 19-year-old nursing student who traveled to Maine with her family from Congo, has been held in Dilley for the past six months.Courtesy Andre familyShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 7, 2026, 5:38 PM EDTBy Daniella SilvaOlivia Andre, a 19-year-old woman from Congo who remains detained in ICE custody in Texas despite her family’s release in March, said she was “in shock” and overjoyed about a judge’s order for her release by Friday. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“I couldn’t believe it. I started crying, shaking,” Andre said Thursday in her first interview since she learned about the judge’s order. She has been detained at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in South Texas for about six months. “I was so happy.” On Wednesday, a federal district court in San Antonio ordered Andre’s release from the facility no later than Friday, according to court documents. The court found that Andre’s right to due process was violated and that her detention was unlawful. She will join her mother, brother, 16, and sister, 14, in Maine upon her release. Andre said she quickly called her mother to tell her the news.“I had a lot of emotion at the same time. I just remember telling her, ‘Mama, I’m coming home,’” Andre said, her bright smile beaming. Her mother was so overcome with emotion that she began to scream with joy. Soon, her sister heard the news and joined her. But there were still fears the news could be too good to be true, Andre said. She called her mom late Wednesday to be sure nothing had changed, just in case.“Part of me was worried, scared ab...