An 86-year-old French woman who relocated to the United States to revive a decades-old romance has been detained by immigration officials, according to statements from her distressed family. The woman, identified only as Marie-Therese, is currently being held at a crowded detention facility in Louisiana following her arrest last month.
Family Expresses Urgent Concerns Over Health and Conditions
Marie-Therese's family has voiced desperate appeals for her release, citing serious health risks. "For us it's urgent to get her out of the detention centre and bring her back to France," one of her sons told Ouest-France newspaper. He emphasised that given her medical conditions, including heart and back problems, she might not survive a month in such detention conditions.
"It's like a bad scene from an American film. Every morning, I wake saying it can't be true, that I've had a nightmare," he added, highlighting the emotional turmoil the situation has caused. The family reported receiving no updates for a week after her arrest, learning details only after French consular officials visited her at the centre, where she is detained with approximately 70 other individuals.
Background of a Long-Distance Romance
Marie-Therese moved from Brittany to Anniston, Alabama, last year to pursue a rekindled romance with a former U.S. serviceman named Billy. The pair originally met and fell in love in the 1950s at a NATO military base in Saint-Nazaire, on the west coast of France. Their relationship was interrupted in 1966 when Billy returned to the U.S. and France withdrew from NATO's integrated military command under President Charles de Gaulle.
Both went on to marry other people but reconnected in 2010 via social media, later meeting as couples. After their respective partners passed away, Marie-Therese announced her intention to move to the U.S. in April last year. Her son described the couple as "like a couple of teenagers," illustrating the depth of their renewed bond.
Legal Complications and Detention
However, when Billy died in January, Marie-Therese had not obtained a green card, leaving her without legal status to remain in the country. She then faced legal disputes with one of Billy's sons, who allegedly cut off water and electricity to her home, as reported by The Guardian. She was due to appear in court to resolve this dispute on April 1 but was detained by immigration officials a week prior.
The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the reports, but no official statement has been released at this time. This case underscores broader issues surrounding immigration enforcement and the treatment of elderly detainees, sparking concerns about humanitarian practices within the system.
