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Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé was 86 years old and had waited decades for the life she finally had. She crossed 4,000 miles from Brittany, France, to Anniston, Alabama, to marry the man she had first loved in the 1950s. Then, on April 1, 2026, immigration agents arrived at her door. According to her son, she was arrested in her nightgown, handcuffed at her hands and feet, and taken into federal custody.
They First Met at a NATO Base in the 1950s
Marie-Thérèse met William “Billy” Ross when she worked as a bilingual secretary at a NATO base near Saint-Nazaire, on France’s Atlantic coast. He was a U.S. serviceman stationed there, and the two fell in love. Their relationship ended in 1966, when France withdrew from NATO’s integrated military command structure under President Charles de Gaulle, and Billy returned to the United States.
Decades Later, a Social Media Reconnection Changed Everything
Both went on to build separate lives and marry other people. In 2010, they found each other again on social media. At the time, both were still married, and their families eventually met. It was only after their respective spouses passed away that something shifted. Marie-Thérèse made a decision that most people her age would never consider: she would move to America and start over.
They Finally Married in Alabama in April 2025
In April 2025, Marie-Thérèse and Billy married in Anniston, Alabama. Her son described Billy, a retired Army colonel and helicopter pilot, as “a charming, adorable man,” and said the two were like teenagers together. It was a chapter that had taken more than half a century to arrive. It lasted less than a year. Billy died in January 2026, at 85, without leaving a will.
Her Visa Had Expired, and She Had No Green Card
Marie-Thérèse had entered the U.S. in June 2025 under the Visa Waiver Program, which permitted her to stay for 90 days. She had not yet secured a green card by the time Billy died. In a statement to USA TODAY, the Department of Homeland Security said she had remained in the country seven months beyond her permitted stay and described her as an “illegal alien from France.”
A Family Dispute Over the Estate Preceded Her Arrest
With no will left behind, a dispute emerged between Marie-Thérèse and Billy’s two adult sons over the estate. Under Alabama inheritance law, she was entitled to half of his assets, according to The New York Times. On March 30, probate judge Shirley Millwood issued an order temporarily preventing the Ross family from disposing of any property. Two days later, Marie-Thérèse was arrested.
She Said Redirected Mail Made Her Miss an Immigration Appointment
In a statement to the court, Marie-Thérèse said she had missed an immigration appointment because her stepson, Gary, had redirected all mail sent to their home. She also said one of Billy’s sons had cut off water, electricity, and internet at the property. Judge Millwood said she believed Tony Ross, a retired state trooper, had tipped off ICE about the visa overstay. Tony denied it.
Her Family Feared for Her Health in Detention
Marie-Thérèse was taken to a federal immigration detention facility in Louisiana, where her family said she was held with roughly 70 other detainees. Her son told Ouest-France she had heart and back problems, and the family heard nothing for a full week until French consular officials visited. He spoke to her by phone for the first time two weeks after her arrest. DHS said ICE maintains practices to provide comprehensive medical care to those in its custody.
France Intervened, and Paris Began Working Toward Her Release
French consular officials visited Marie-Thérèse in detention, and France’s government formally intervened in her case. Her son told Ouest-France she was holding up. “She’s a fighter, a force of nature,” he said. “The others being held call her unsinkable.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed her release on April 17, 2026, telling reporters, “She has returned to France this morning, and we are pleased about that.”
She Landed in Paris Still Wearing Her Detention Clothes
Marie-Thérèse’s adult children met her at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Friday morning, April 17. She arrived in her detention uniform: orange shoes, stained sweatpants, and a grey sweater with holes. One of her sons told Ouest-France, “Maman is finally free. It’s a huge relief.” He said she was in shock and exhausted. But she is home now, in France, reunited with her family.