An 86-year-old French woman, Marie-Thérèse from Nantes, is facing a troubling immigration case in the United States after being detained in Louisiana. She had moved to the US last year to begin a new chapter of life with a man she first fell in love with in the 1960s.
Arrest and detention in the US
Marie-Therese was arrested in Anniston, Alabama, earlier this month, prompting her son to raise alarm. Describing the incident, he said, “They handcuffed her hands and feet like she was a dangerous criminal,” in an interview with Ouest-France.
The US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), told the BBC that an “illegal alien from France” with her name entered the country in June 2025 and overstayed her 90-day visa. However, her son maintains that she was in the process of applying for a green card when she was detained.
A love story decades in the making
She had moved to the US after marrying Billy, an American man Therese had first met in the 1960s when he was stationed at a Nato base in Saint-Nazaire and she worked as a secretary. Their relationship did not last at the time, Billy returned to the US in 1966, and both went on to marry other people and have families.
They reconnected decades later in 2010 and remained in touch, even visiting each other with their respective spouses, according to Ouest-France. By 2022, both had been widowed and decided to pursue a relationship. Her son described Billy as a “charming, adorable man”, adding that the couple were in love “like teenagers”.
Move to America and sudden loss
The couple married last year, after which Marie-Thérèse relocated to Alabama and applied for a green card that would allow her to stay in the country permanently. But before her immigration status could be finalised, Billy died suddenly in January, leaving her situation uncertain.
Dispute and growing tensions
After Billy’s death, tensions reportedly grew between Marie-Thérèse and his son over inheritance issues. According to her son, Billy’s son “threatened her, intimidated her, and even went so far as to cut off her water, internet, and electricity,”. Marie-Therese sought legal help and had a court hearing scheduled, but she was arrested by ICE just a day before it. Neighbours reportedly informed her children about the arrest. There is no confirmed evidence linking the complaint to Billy’s son.
Health concerns and diplomatic involvement
The French foreign ministry has stepped in, and Marie-Therese has received a consular visit. Her son said she remains strong, describing her as a “fighter” who is “holding up well”, but also warned of her fragile health due to heart and back problems. “Our priority is to get her out of this detention center and repatriate her to France. Given her health, she won’t last a month in such conditions of detention,” he said.
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