Elderly French widow says she feared death after ICE arrest and deportation
An 85-year-old French widow has spoken publicly about her arrest and detention in the United States, describing what she called a humiliating experience that left her believing she would not survive.
Marie-Therese Ross-Mahé was taken into custody on April 1 at her home in Anniston, Alabama, after immigration authorities arrived early in the morning. According to her account to The New York Times, she had been asleep when agents began pounding on doors and windows.
“I was waiting to die, really,” she said, recalling the time she spent in custody.
Arrest and detention described as ‘humiliating’
Ross-Mahé said she opened the door to federal agents who then entered the home, placed her in handcuffs, and transported her in an unmarked vehicle. She was later moved through multiple facilities, including a county jail in Alabama and a detention center in Louisiana.
She told The New York Times that she was shackled at the wrists and ankles and transported alongside other detainees. At one point, she said she was loaded onto a plane “like a potato sack.”
She described the conditions as degrading, saying detainees were treated “not in a human way.”
During her time in custody, Ross-Mahé said she endured long waits without explanation, sitting on hard benches and being transported in trucks for hours. She also claimed the experience worsened her existing back pain and sciatica, leaving her dependent on other detainees for basic movement.
Despite her account of harsh conditions, she said fellow detainees showed her kindness, offering food and singing hymns, which she described as a source of comfort.
Deportation follows visa overstay
A spokesperson for U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed she was removed from the country on April 16 for overstaying a tourism visa.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, the agency disputed her claims about detention conditions, stating that detainees are provided with proper meals, water, medical care, and access to communication with family and legal representatives.
“ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons,” the spokesperson said, adding that facilities are regularly inspected.
Ross-Mahé had traveled to the United States in June 2025 after marrying retired Army Captain William “Bill” Ross earlier that year. Her husband died on January 24, just nine months into their marriage.
Court records cited by the Daily Mail indicate a dispute between Ross-Mahé and her late husband’s sons over his estate. A probate judge noted concerns about how her arrest came about and urged a federal investigation, though no findings have been publicly confirmed.
The story takes a darker turn
Court records cited by the Daily Mail show that tensions escalated between Marie-Therese Ross-Mahé and her late husband’s sons, William ‘Tony’ Ross and Gary Ross, following his death.
A probate judge noted that the dispute over the estate became increasingly heated, and questioned how Ross-Mahé’s detention came about. According to the court order, the judge expressed concern that one of the sons may have used his position as a federal employee in connection with the events leading to her arrest.
The filing also referenced communications received shortly before and after Ross-Mahé was taken into custody, which the judge cited in urging federal authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding her detention.
No formal findings of wrongdoing have been confirmed, but the judge’s concerns added a layer of controversy to an already troubling case.
Ross-Mahé has since returned to France, where she is now speaking out about an experience she says left her shocked and deeply shaken.
