Elderly French Woman Detained by ICE After Moving to US for Love
French Grandmother Detained
An 86-year-old French national, Marie-Thérèse, is currently detained in a US immigration enforcement facility in Louisiana. Her arrest in Anniston, Alabama, earlier this month, has drawn sharp criticism from her son, who described his mother being "handcuffed hands and feet like she was a dangerous criminal".
Marie-Thérèse had moved to the United States last year after rekindling a romance from the 1960s with an American man named Billy. The couple married, and she applied for a green card. However, Billy unexpectedly passed away in January, leaving her immigration status precarious.
Immigration Status and Family Dispute
The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that an "illegal alien from France" matching Marie-Thérèse's name had overstayed her 90-day visa, having entered the country in June 2023. Her son, however, maintains that his mother was awaiting her green card approval at the time of her detention.
Following Billy's death, a dispute reportedly arose between Marie-Thérèse and Billy's son over inheritance matters. Her son alleges that Billy's son threatened her and cut off essential utilities. Marie-Thérèse was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the day before a scheduled legal hearing, though there is no confirmed link between the family dispute and her detention.
The French foreign ministry is now involved, and Marie-Thérèse has received a consular visit. Her son has expressed serious concerns about her health, stating, "Given her health, she won't last a month in such conditions of detention." The family's priority is her repatriation to France.
