A 13-year-old boy in Pomona is suddenly without a parent again after federal immigration agents detained the only dad he had left. Relatives say the boy’s aunt, who had been raising him and was in the process of adopting him, died in a drunk-driving crash three years ago. Her husband then stepped in as the child’s foster father. Now, with that foster dad in federal custody, the family says they are terrified the teen will be pulled back into the foster-care system.
Foster Dad Detained On His Way To Work
According to NBC Los Angeles, Jose de Jesus Olaez was stopped by federal immigration agents this week as he and coworkers were heading to a landscaping job. Cellphone video shared with advocates shows officers surrounding his vehicle. Relatives say Olaez has lived in the U.S. for 24 years and has no criminal record. The family says they are now working with a social worker to figure out where the boy can safely stay.
Aunt Killed Before She Could Finish Adoption
As reported at the time by the Los Angeles Times, the teen’s aunt, Yesenia Ochoa, was one of three women killed in a March 2024 crash in Pomona while she was in the middle of adopting him. Authorities later charged the other driver with felony DUI and murder counts, a case that relatives say shattered their close-knit family long before this latest blow.
Family Begs For Stability, Not Foster Care
Relatives told NBC Los Angeles that the boy asks, “How’s my dad doing?” every day and that they are determined to keep him out of foster care. Jasmine Olaez-Gomez, the teen’s aunt, said family members are scrambling to provide some sense of normalcy while officials and social workers sort out who will be allowed to care for him. The family has asked for privacy as they seek legal help and immediate support for the child.
Pomona Becomes Flashpoint For Immigration Raids
Pomona has seen other recent federal immigration sweeps, including an April 2025 operation that detained more than a dozen day laborers outside a Home Depot, local outlets and advocates reported. Community groups such as the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice have been tracking those operations and pushing for rapid-response support for affected families, according to KQED. The Pomona Police Department has said it does not conduct immigration enforcement, which it notes is handled by federal agencies.
What Comes Next For The Boy And His Family
Advocates say people detained by immigration authorities can face a maze of hearings and possible removal proceedings, which makes legal representation crucial for families trying to navigate the system. The Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, which provided cellphone video of Olaez’s detention to reporters, runs a rapid-response hotline and offers legal resources for the Inland Empire. Relatives say they are exploring those options while social workers evaluate temporary placements for the teen.
For now, the boy is staying with relatives while advocates and social workers work to keep him out of state custody. Family members say they intend to pursue every legal avenue to reunite him with relatives and have again asked for privacy as the case moves forward.
