Marie-Thérèse Ross, an 86-year-old French widow of an American Vietnam War veteran, has been released from US immigration detention and returned to France, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed. Ross had been held in a federal detention center in Louisiana after being taken into custody on April 1 for overstaying her 90-day visa in Alabama, according to The Guardian.
The widow’s detention lasted 16 days during which tensions arose from a dispute over her late husband’s estate involving his two sons. French authorities have opened an investigation after allegations of mistreatment surfaced, as reported by Raw Story. The French government actively sought Ross’s release, engaging diplomatically with US immigration officials to resolve the case, Stuff.co.nz and The Independent detailed.
Ross had moved to the US in hopes of starting a new life with her American husband and was in the process of obtaining a Green Card. The case sparked protests in France and raised questions about the treatment of elderly detainees in US immigration enforcement, as noted by France 24 and The Local France. The widow’s release and repatriation mark a rare resolution following international cooperation.
Going forward, legal proceedings concerning the late husband’s estate are ongoing, and French authorities continue to monitor Ross’s welfare. The outcome highlights the importance of diplomatic engagement in immigration cases involving vulnerable individuals and may influence future bilateral protocols regarding detainees from allied nations.
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