An 85-year-old French widow who was forcibly removed from her Alabama home by US immigration authorities has spoken out about her ordeal, describing the experience as 'very humiliating' and claiming she feared for her life while in custody.
Arrest and Detention
Marie-Therese Ross-Mahé was arrested at her Anniston residence on April 1, wearing only a nightgown and robe, after federal agents pounded on the doors and windows. She was taken to a detention center in Louisiana and deported on April 16 for overstaying her tourism visa, according to a Homeland Security spokesperson.
Ross-Mahé told The New York Times that agents pushed inside, handcuffed her, and drove her to jail in an unmarked car. She was later shackled by wrists and ankles, chained to other inmates, and loaded onto a plane 'like a potato sack.' She stated, 'They treat them like dogs, not in a human way. I thought that when we arrested them, we would treat them properly. It really shocked me.'
Conditions in Custody
The widow was first held in a 'filthy' county jail in Alabama before being flown to Louisiana. She described waiting on hard benches and dirty beds, and being transported in trucks for hours without explanation. She claimed the conditions worsened her back pain and sciatica, making it difficult to walk, and that other inmates had to assist her to the bathroom and shower. 'I was waiting to die, really,' she recalled. 'I knew I was not going to make it.'
Despite the alleged mistreatment, Ross-Mahé said she 'found God' through fellow inmates who gave her hot chocolate and cookies and sang hymns. The Daily Mail has not independently verified these claims. A Homeland Security spokesperson denied the allegations in a statement to the Times.
Background and Family Dispute
Ross-Mahé entered the US in June 2025 after marrying retired Army Captain William 'Bill' Ross in April of that year. The couple had first dated in the 1950s while he was stationed in France, but their romance ended when Ross married her friend. After both their spouses died, they reconnected and married. She was seeking a green card when her husband died of natural causes on January 24.
Following Ross's death, his sons William 'Tony' Ross and Gary Ross sought control of his estate, which included a modest home, $1,500 in cash, and about $10,000 in personal property. According to a court order from Calhoun County Probate Judge Shirley Millwood, the brothers attempted to coerce Ross-Mahé into signing away her rights for $10,000. When she refused, Tony, a federal government employee, allegedly used his position to have ICE detain her.
Judge Millwood wrote that Tony contacted a colleague requesting Ross-Mahé's detention, and received messages from US Marshals alerting him of her arrest. The brothers also turned off utilities and rerouted mail, including immigration notices. Millwood urged a federal investigation, but Ross-Mahé was deported anyway.
The Department of Homeland Security has been approached for comment.
