A 86 year old French woman was arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana. The case arose after his move to the country to live with his partner. The situation raised questions about the treatment received and opened a legal and family conflict.
The older adult, identified as Marie-Theresewas born in Nantes. Authorities arrested her in early April in Anniston, Alabama. She was then transferred to an immigration detention center. Her son indicated that the agents handcuffed her hands and feet as if she were a dangerous person.
The woman traveled to the United States after resuming a relationship with Billya former American soldier. The two met in the 1960s in Saint-Nazaire during a NATO deployment. At that time she worked as a secretary. As the years went by, they lost contact. Each one formed a family.
The reunion occurred in 2010. Both were widowed in 2022. From that moment on they began a close relationship. The couple married the previous year. Marie-Thérèse moved to Alabama and applied for permanent residency, known as green card.
The case took a turn after the Billy’s sudden death in January. From that moment on, the dispute over the inheritance arose between the French woman and the son of the deceased. According to the elderly woman’s family, the heir threatened and intimidated her. It also suspended basic services such as water, Internet and electricity.
Marie-Thérèse hired a lawyer to face the legal process. However, ICE detained her a day before a scheduled hearing. Neighbors alerted the family about the capture. There is no evidence that links Billy’s son to a complaint before immigration authorities.
He French Ministry of Foreign Affairs followed up on the case. The entity carried out a consular visit, according to information disclosed by the BBC.
The detainee’s son stated that his mother suffers from heart and back problems. He assured that it remains stable within the conditions of the center. The family indicated that their priority is to achieve his departure and manage his return to France due to his state of health.
The case occurs in a context of tightening of immigration policy in the United States. This implied an increase in detentions and deportations by ICE. The Department of Homeland Security did not issue a response after inquiries from the BBC.
*The creation of this content was assisted by artificial intelligence. The source of this information is from Grupo de Diarios América (GDA) media and reviewed by an editor to ensure its accuracy. The content was not generated automatically.
