French woman, 86, held by ICE after moving to US to marry 1950s sweetheart

Lead

An 86-year-old French woman who moved to the United States to marry her long-lost love from the 1950s has returned to France after being detained by US immigration authorities, according to French officials and multiple news reports. Marie-Thérèse Ross was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Alabama on April 1 and held at a detention facility in Louisiana, prompting a diplomatic effort by the French government to secure her release.

Her release was confirmed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who said she arrived back in France on Friday morning. "We are pleased about that," he told reporters, as quoted by the BBC. Her son, speaking to French outlet Ouest-France, said, "Mum is finally free! It's a total relief."

Coverage Comparison

The story has been covered extensively by international media, with outlets including the BBC, France 24, and The Guardian reporting on the case. While all sources agree on the core facts—that Ross was detained, held in Louisiana, and released after French government intervention—their framing varies.

The BBC's coverage emphasized the humanitarian aspect, focusing on Ross's age and health conditions, and quoted her son's fears for her well-being. France 24 highlighted the French government's efforts and noted that ICE arrest quotas were increased under President Donald Trump's second term, a claim carried by a single outlet and not yet independently verified. The Guardian's reports framed the detention within the context of the Trump administration's "mass deportation agenda," a term used by that outlet, and noted that spouses of US soldiers and veterans have been affected by policies that were previously more lenient.

All sources cited the French government's "fully mobilized" response, as stated by Rodolphe Sambou, Consul General of France in New Orleans, who visited Ross in detention twice and communicated with her family and French officials.

Key Claims

• Detention and Release: Marie-Thérèse Ross was arrested by ICE agents in Alabama on April 1 and held at a federal immigration detention facility in Louisiana. She was released and returned to France on Friday, as confirmed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and reported by the BBC and other outlets.

• Reason for Detention: The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the BBC that Ross entered the country in June 2025 and overstayed her 90-day visa. The Guardian also reported that DHS cited the visa overstay as the reason for her detention.

• Health Concerns: Ross has heart and back problems, according to her son, who expressed fears for her health while she was detained. He told Ouest-France that she was "holding up well" but that her condition was a concern.

• Arrest Treatment: Her son described the arrest, saying, "They handcuffed her hands and feet like she was a dangerous criminal," as quoted by France 24 and The Guardian. This account has been widely reported but has not been independently verified.

• Background: Ross moved to the US last year after rekindling a romance with Billy Ross, a US military veteran she met in the 1960s while he was stationed at a NATO base in Saint-Nazaire, France. They married in 2025, but Billy died in January, leaving her without a green card.

• French Government Intervention: The French government, including Consul General Rodolphe Sambou and Foreign Minister Barrot, pressed for her release, with Sambou stating, "Given her age, we really want her to get out of this situation as soon as possible."

Perspectives

The case has drawn attention to US immigration enforcement policies, particularly under the Trump administration. The Guardian noted that "spouses of US soldiers and military veterans" have been detained under policies that were previously more lenent, and France 24 mentioned increased ICE arrest quotas, though this claim has not been corroborated by other sources. Critics of the enforcement approach argue that cases like Ross's highlight a lack of compassion, while DHS has stated that she violated immigration law by overstaying her visa.

Ross's release was celebrated by her family and French officials, but the incident has raised questions about the treatment of elderly detainees and the effectiveness of diplomatic interventions. Her son, upon reuniting with her at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, said she was "in a state of shock and was physically and spiritually exhausted," as reported by The New York Times and cited by the BBC.

As of now, no official statement from ICE or DHS regarding the release has been made public beyond the earlier confirmation of her visa overstay. The case underscores the complexities of immigration enforcement when personal circumstances and health are at stake.