An 86-year-old French woman, identified only as Marie-Thérèse, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Louisiana after her husband, a retired U.S. Army colonel, died in January. The family claims she was handcuffed and transferred to a crowded detention center, raising concerns about her health and well-being.
Marie-Thérèse moved to the U.S. in 2023 to marry her longtime sweetheart, whom she first met in the 1960s while working as a secretary in France. The couple reconnected in 2010 and married after both were widowed. However, her green card application was still pending when her husband, Billy, passed away, leaving her immigration status unresolved.
Her family has expressed urgency in securing her release, citing her fragile health and the harsh conditions of detention. One of her sons told French media that she 'won’t last a month' in such conditions. The case has drawn attention to ICE’s enforcement policies, particularly under President Donald Trump’s second term, which has seen expanded deportation efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not yet commented on the case. Critics argue that the detention undermines military families and due process, while supporters of the policy maintain that it enforces existing immigration laws. Similar incidents, including the recent detention of an Army staff sergeant’s wife, have sparked debate over the treatment of non-citizen spouses of U.S. service members.
Marie-Thérèse’s situation has also been complicated by a reported dispute with her stepson over inheritance, though details remain unclear. French consular officials are reportedly involved in the case, and the family hopes to bring her back to France.