Marie is a former American soldier met in the 1950s, Marie-Thérèse, 86, has been living in the United States for a few years. But after the death of her husband, she did not get the necessary permanent visa to stay and was arrested by immigration police on April 1st.
For over ten days, almost no news from her mother, a resident of the United States. Last April 1st, 86-year-old Marie-Thérèse was arrested at her American home in Anniston, Alabama, by ICE agents, handcuffed like a dangerous criminal. She is now in a detention center in Louisiana.
One of her sons expressed dismay, saying it feels like a bad American movie scenario. They cannot visit her in the United States or even speak to her on the phone. Information comes only from her lawyer and the French Consul. Her youngest son regrets her current isolation.
A Legal Battle with the In-Laws
How did a 86-year-old end up tangled with the controversial US immigration police? Let’s go back to the 1950s when Marie-Thérèse met and fell in love with Billy, an American soldier. After their paths diverged, they reconnected in 2010 after the death of Marie-Thérèse’s husband. She decided to marry Billy in Anniston, but he passed away in January.
Desiring to stay in Anniston, Marie-Thérèse found herself in a conflict with Billy’s family over inheritance issues. One son threatened, intimidated, and cut off her utilities. A legal battle was set for April 9th, but she was detained by ICE before the hearing due to the lack of a permanent visa.
According to her relatives, Marie-Thérèse may have won her case, but the urgent priority is to get her out of detention and back to France due to her poor health.
