ANNISTON, AL — An 85-year-old French widow deported from Alabama says she feared she would die during more than two weeks in immigration detention, according to interviews with multiple outlets.
Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé, who had been living in Anniston with her late American husband, was arrested by immigration agents at her home on April 1 and later deported to France on April 17. In an interview cited by AL.com, she described being taken into custody in her home while still in pajamas and transported to detention facilities in Alabama and Louisiana.
Ross-Mahé said she was restrained alongside other detainees and endured conditions that worsened her existing health issues. “I was waiting to die,” she told The New York Times, describing the experience as physically and emotionally distressing.
French officials confirmed they intervened on her behalf during her detention. After her release and return to France, Ross-Mahé said she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
U.S. authorities said she had overstayed her visa. Her case also involved a dispute over her late husband’s estate, which drew attention from local officials prior to her arrest.
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