A carpenter and father of two living in Staunton was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in early June. WMRA’s Randi B. Hagi spoke with his wife about why they came to America and her fears about her husband’s possible deportation. Listeners should be advised this story contains descriptions of violence.
Olman has lived in Staunton with his wife and two children since 2023. He’s a carpenter who gets up at five in the morning each day to travel to jobs in Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, and elsewhere in the Shenandoah Valley.
I spoke with Olman’s wife, with the help of her acquaintance through church, who translated for us. The translator noted that she is not a native Spanish speaker, but could summarize the woman’s words. WMRA agreed to keep both women anonymous and only refer to Olman by his first name, due to the couple’s fear of violence in their home country. Olman’s wife was visibly distressed telling her story…