French Government Advocates for Veteran’s Widow Detained in U.S.
In a surprising turn of events, an 86-year-old French widow, Marie-Therese Ross, finds herself in a U.S. immigration detention facility, prompting the French government to call for her immediate release. Her detention has raised questions about the treatment of military spouses under current U.S. immigration policies.
Ross was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Alabama on April 1 after overstaying her 90-day visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She is currently held in a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana.
This incident is part of a broader trend under the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies, which have intensified the deportation efforts affecting spouses of U.S. military personnel and veterans. These individuals previously benefited from more lenient immigration policies that have since been revoked.
Rodolphe Sambou, the Consul General of France in New Orleans, has been actively involved in advocating for Ross’s release. He stated, “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.”
Sambou confirmed his engagement with Ross’s family and French officials across various locations, including Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Paris, to facilitate her release. The French government has also reached out to DHS, although Sambou refrained from commenting on her legal status or case specifics.
Marie-Therese Ross was married to William Ross, an Alabama resident and former U.S. Army captain, in April of the previous year. Sadly, William Ross passed away in January, as noted in his obituary.
Efforts to contact Ross’s legal representative and family for comments have been unsuccessful.
FILE – A federal agent wears an Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge, June 10, 2025, in New York. Yuki Iwamura/AP
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
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