French government seeks release of 86-year-old French widow detained by ICE

Marie-Therese Ross, the widow of a U.S. military veteran, was detained in Alabama after overstaying her visa.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:09pm

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A cinematic painting of an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench in a dimly lit urban setting, the warm sunlight casting deep shadows across her face and surroundings, conveying a sense of loneliness and isolation.The detention of an 86-year-old French widow of a U.S. military veteran exposes the human toll of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies.New Orleans Today

The French government is pressing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to release the 86-year-old French widow of a military veteran from immigration custody after she was detained earlier this month. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Marie-Therese Ross in Alabama on April 1 after she overstayed her 90-day visa, and she is now being held at a federal immigration detention facility in Louisiana.

Why it matters

Ross is among the thousands of people targeted by the Trump administration's mass deportation agenda that has detained the spouses of U.S. soldiers and military veterans who previously received greater leniency under scrapped policies. Her case highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and its allies over immigration enforcement.

The details

Rodolphe Sambou, the Consul General of France in New Orleans, has visited Ross twice in detention and said the French government has 'fully mobilized' to push for her release due to her age. Ross married an Alabama resident, William Ross, in April last year, but he died in January according to his family's obituary.

  • Ross was detained by ICE agents on April 1, 2026.
  • Ross overstayed her 90-day visa prior to her detention.

The players

Marie-Therese Ross

An 86-year-old French widow of a U.S. military veteran who was detained by ICE after overstaying her visa.

Rodolphe Sambou

The Consul General of France in New Orleans who has visited Ross in detention and is communicating with French officials to coordinate her release.

William Ross

Marie-Therese Ross's late husband, who was a former captain in the U.S. Army.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that oversees ICE and is being pressed by the French government to release Marie-Therese Ross.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that detained Marie-Therese Ross in Alabama after she overstayed her visa.

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What they’re saying

“Given her age, we really want her to get out of this situation as soon as possible. We want to get her out of jail.”

— Rodolphe Sambou, Consul General of France in New Orleans

What’s next

The French government has contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to push for Marie-Therese Ross's release from immigration detention. A judge will likely make a decision on whether to grant her release in the coming days or weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and its allies over immigration enforcement, particularly when it involves the spouses of U.S. military veterans. It raises questions about the Trump administration's hardline policies and whether they unfairly target vulnerable populations like the elderly.