French widow, Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, 86, was turned into ICE by her stepson after her husband died. After spending 16 days in detention, she is finally free and has returned to France, but the French government states that during her detention with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the widow was subjected to “acts of violence.” Her sons had mentioned that their mother suffered heart and back problems, which may have been exacerbated by her stay in ICE detention.
After her stepson turned her into ICE, the 86-year-old was held in detention for more than two weeks, but is now back home after the French government demanded her release. The government had raised concerns over a person of her advanced age being detained in custody.
She is now recovering from her ordeal in her native France. However, according to a top French diplomat, her ordeal during detention included “acts of violence.” When Ross-Mahé arrived at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport on Friday, she was still wearing jail clothing that her son said included a sweater with stains and holes.
When the French authorities asked for her release, they were told that Ross-Mahé had received assistance from other detainees, who had offered her extra blankets.
ICE Detains French Woman, 86, Who Moved To US To Marry 1950s Sweetheart https://t.co/ZcGOfC1RG0 via @theinquisitr
— Anne Sewell (@anners2008) April 17, 2026
Marie-Thérèse had moved from France to the US to marry her 1950s sweetheart. She met Billy Ross in the 1950s when she was working as a bilingual secretary at a NATO base in Saint-Nazaire and it bloomed into love. However, Marie-Thérèse and Billy were separated after he returned to the US in 1966.
The couple never forgot each other, and in 2010, when they were both married to other people, Marie-Thérèse and Billy reconnected on social media and the two couples met. Fast forward to April 2025, after both their partners had died, Marie-Thérèse moved to Anniston, Alabama, to marry her former love.
According to her family, Billy was a retired colonel and helicopter pilot in the US Army. He was described as “a charming, adorable man.” They were, apparently, “like a couple of teenagers.” Billy passed away in January 2026, and Marie-Thérèse did not yet hold a Green Card to allow her to legally stay in the US, leaving her status unclear.
Sadly, when Ross died, he had neglected to leave a will, which led to a fight with his surviving sons. One of them, a former police officer, is believed to have turned Ross-Mahé in to federal immigration authorities, who detained her.
Marie-Thérèse, 85 ans, vivait aux États-Unis mais n’avait pas obtenu de visa permanent lui permettant de rester après la mort de son mari américain. Elle avait été arrêtée le 1er avril par l’ICE. Après des tractations diplomatiques, elle vient de rejoindre la France. #JT20h pic.twitter.com/Qv5hNC7G6A
— Le20h-France Télévisions (@le20hfrancetele) April 17, 2026
According to the New York Times, one of Ross’s sons had rerouted mail from the house where Ross-Mahé was living, which led to her missing an immigration appointment.
After Ross-Mahé was released from ICE detention, an Alabama probate judge presiding over the fight for Ross’s estate instructed the two sons to hand over their keys to their father’s house. Moreover, the judge launched a federal investigation into their conduct.
