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Guatemalan interpreter detained 7 months, ordered deported, leaves U.S. citizen children behind

Jun 18, 2026 · Lake Worth Beach, FL, Guatemala

Guatemalan interpreter detained 7 months, ordered deported, leaves U.S. citizen children behind

Olga Perez, a 47-year-old indigenous Mam language interpreter and community leader in Palm Beach County, Florida, was arrested during a traffic stop on I-95 in November 2025 and placed in ICE custody in Arizona. After seven months in detention and nine delayed immigration hearings, an immigration judge ordered her deported to Guatemala by July 6, 2026. She was released on her own recognizance pending voluntary deportation and made a surprise visit to her family and the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth Beach before being deported. Perez had spent 30 years in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant, volunteering as an interpreter and translator for indigenous communities in the region. Her deportation leaves behind four U.S. citizen children, ages 13 to 21.

Timeline

Jun 18, 2026Perez released on her own recognizance pending voluntary deportation after nine delayed immigration hearings. She made a surprise visit to family and Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth Beach before being deported to Guatemala.
Jun 9, 2026Immigration judge ordered Perez deported with deadline of July 6 to appeal decision.
Nov 2025Olga Perez arrested during traffic stop on I-95 and placed in ICE custody in Arizona. Her husband also arrested by ICE at a job site.

Sources

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