Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, an 85-year-old French citizen, was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month after missing an immigration appointment. The detention, part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, made international headlines. Now back in France, she shares her harrowing experience and the love story that led her to the United States.
A Late-in-Life Love Story
Ross-Mahé crossed the Atlantic last year to reunite with William B Ross, her sweetheart from the 1950s. They had met when he was a US soldier stationed in France, and she worked as a secretary at NATO. After both became widowed, they reconnected and married in April 2025. She moved into his home in Anniston, Alabama. However, when Ross died in January, a dispute over his estate emerged. His sons redirected his mail, causing Ross-Mahé to miss an immigration-related appointment.
Arrest and Detention
On 1 April, five immigration officers banged on her door and windows at 8 am, handcuffed her, and placed her in a vehicle while she was still in her bathrobe, slippers, and pajamas. She was transferred two days later to a facility in Basile, Louisiana, where she was held with 58 other women, mostly mothers. “Some of them didn’t know where their children were,” she said. “I think it’s terrible for a woman not to know where her children are.”
Life Inside the Detention Facility
Ross-Mahé described strict rules, constant shouting from guards, and condescending treatment. “The prison was clean, the food was OK, but it was the way they spoke to us. The guards could not speak without yelling,” she said. “Everybody was talking loudly, so everybody could hear what they were saying. But when silence came, you could hear children crying and even babies crying.” Despite the harsh conditions, she recalled moments of solidarity. “During the night, if my bedcover slipped away, I felt a small hand putting it back,” she said. “I didn’t know who it was, but they pampered me because I was older than them.” The other women called her “Grandma,” and she still wears a handmade friendship bracelet from a fellow detainee.
International Response
The French government took up her case, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot publicly calling for her release, stating that ICE methods were “not in line” with French standards. The probate judge overseeing the inheritance dispute also called for an investigation, accusing one of Ross’s sons of using his position as a federal employee to prompt her detention. Ross-Mahé said relations with her stepson were warm before her husband’s death but “transformed” afterward. The stepson denies any involvement.
Aftermath and Reflection
The US Department of Homeland Security stated that Ross-Mahé had overstayed her visa and that ICE facilities are regularly audited and inspected. They added that detainees receive proper meals, water, blankets, medical treatment, and communication opportunities. Ross-Mahé’s family said she struggles with memory gaps and emotional distress, and she plans to seek treatment for symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress. She continues to think about the women she met, mostly from South America, and said her experience changed her view of the US. “Their only fault was to be South American,” she said.
