Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained an 85-year-old French widow of an American military veteran in Alabama on April 1, holding her in a Louisiana immigration facility for more than two weeks before her release. Marie-Thérèse Ross had overstayed her 90-day visa, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Friday that Ross returned home after being detained by ICE agents who, according to her family, treated the octogenarian "like a hardened criminal."
- Ross was detained April 1 in Alabama for overstaying her 90-day tourist visa
- She was held at a federal immigration detention facility in Louisiana
- Her late husband was an American military veteran
- French officials confirmed her release and return home Friday
The detention of Ross highlights ICE's enforcement approach under current immigration policies, which critics argue fails to account for humanitarian considerations when dealing with elderly detainees or those with family connections to U.S. military service.
One of Ross's sons told the French newspaper Ouest-France that ICE agents had treated his elderly mother with excessive severity given her age and circumstances. The family's concerns about her treatment in detention underscore broader questions about how immigration enforcement agencies handle vulnerable populations.
The Guardian has also reported on other recent ICE detentions involving young children, including a two-year-old Minnesota girl and a five-year-old boy, highlighting ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement practices affecting vulnerable populations.
The French government's involvement in securing Ross's release demonstrates how international advocacy can influence outcomes in U.S. immigration cases. Barrot's public confirmation of Ross's safe return signals France's willingness to advocate for its citizens caught in U.S. immigration proceedings.
Immigration attorneys note that visa overstays represent the majority of unauthorized presence cases in the United States, but enforcement priorities typically focus on individuals with criminal records or recent border crossers rather than elderly tourists who exceeded permitted stays.
The case raises questions about detention protocols for elderly individuals, particularly those with health considerations that may make prolonged detention inappropriate. Immigration law allows for alternatives to detention in cases where individuals pose no flight risk or public safety threat.
Ross's status as the widow of an American veteran adds another dimension to her case, though immigration law does not automatically provide protections for such family connections outside of formal visa categories.
The Department of Homeland Security has not released details about the specific circumstances of Ross's detention or the decision-making process that led to her release. ICE typically does not comment on individual cases due to privacy considerations.
Her return to France ends what became a minor diplomatic incident between the two allied nations over immigration enforcement practices.
