85-year-old widow is released from US custody, returns to France amid messy family dispute
An 85-year-old French widow who relocated to the United States to begin a new chapter with a former American serviceman has returned to France following 16 days held in federal immigration detention, a case that has drawn attention in both countries.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said during remarks in Montpellier that she had safely arrived back in France on Friday morning. He also criticized the handling of the case by U.S. immigration authorities, saying their practices were not consistent with French standards and were unacceptable from France’s perspective.
The woman, Marie-Thérèse Ross, entered the U.S. last June after marrying a retired American soldier she originally met in France in the 1960s, according to court filings. The couple’s situation changed abruptly after her husband died of natural causes in January, triggering a dispute over his estate.
Court records in Alabama indicate that tensions within the family escalated after his death. One of his sons, who works as a federal employee and is a former state trooper, was accused by a probate judge of playing a role in events that led to Ross being detained by immigration authorities shortly before a scheduled estate hearing. The stepson has denied any involvement.
Officials with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Ross in Alabama on April 1 after she was found to have overstayed her 90-day visa, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She was then transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana while French officials raised concerns about her condition.
Her son, Hervé Goix, said she had been in the process of applying for a green card when she was taken into custody. He described her as exhausted and in poor health but expressed relief that she had been released and sent home.
During her detention, her attorney, Kim Willingham, said she did not receive needed medication and raised concerns about her treatment in the facility. The lawyer also said Ross had followed all required steps in her immigration process.
Court documents show Ross had given up her pension and moved to Alabama to live with her husband. After his death, his two sons sought control of his estate, which was valued at under $190,000 and included the home where Ross was living.
A probate judge noted that the sons redirected mail to the residence, which contributed to Ross missing an immigration appointment. The judge also suggested that one son may have known ahead of time about her detention and appeared to receive confirmation shortly after it occurred. Following her removal from the home by federal agents, the property was secured and the locks were changed.
Ross was reportedly taken from the residence in her nightgown and without access to her phone, passport, or other identification. The probate court later ordered that she be allowed to recover her personal belongings.
In a separate statement, the city of Anniston said local police were not involved in the arrest. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
About Post Author
