Adama Bamba

AA / Istanbul / Adama Bamba

A French national, 85, was arrested at her home by the American immigration police before being placed in a detention center in Louisiana, her family members revealed on Monday.

According to information from French media outlet BFMTV, her son Hervé, who confirmed the details reported by Ouest-France newspaper, stated that the octogenarian was apprehended on April 1 by ICE agents, the American immigration enforcement agency.

Neighbors reported seeing the woman, who resided in Alabama, being “handcuffed feet and hands”. Her family claims to be unaware of the exact reasons for her arrest and were informed of the situation by neighbors.

“We have had no direct contact with her since her arrest,” explained her son, adding that the family was receiving updates from people on the ground.

According to reports, the octogenarian is currently held in a detention center in Louisiana, in the southeastern United States.

The family also mentioned that initial contact had been made with French authorities. A representative from the consulate in Louisiana met with her last Thursday, while the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation to secure a swift resolution and her release.

The French woman had recently settled in the United States after marrying a former American Air Force colonel, a Vietnam War veteran. The two had met over sixty years ago at an NATO base and reconnected after both becoming widowed.

Her husband passed away suddenly in January at the age of 85. At that time, she was awaiting the regularization of her green card and a judicial decision related to inheritance matters before considering a return to France.

Created to combat illegal immigration, the American agency ICE, at the forefront of the anti-migrant policy advocated by President Donald Trump, has regularly faced criticism from human rights organizations.