86-Year-Old French Woman Detained in the US After Reuniting with Long-Lost Love

Detention of an Elderly Woman Sparks Family Concerns

An 86-year-old woman from France, Marie-Thérèse, has found herself in a troubling situation after moving to the United States to revive a romance that began decades ago. She relocated to Alabama last year after reconnecting with an American man she first met in the 1950s at a NATO base in Saint-Nazaire. The couple had been separated since 1966 when he returned to the US, leading them to lead separate lives, marry, and raise families. However, they reconnected through social media and rekindled their relationship after both became widowed by 2022, eventually marrying.

Marie-Thérèse moved to the US with hopes of obtaining a green card to live permanently with her husband. Unfortunately, her plans were disrupted when he passed away unexpectedly in January, leaving her immigration status in limbo. The US Department of Homeland Security reported that she entered the country in June 2025 and overstayed her 90-day visa. Her family contends that she was actively pursuing legal residency at the time of her detention.

Earlier this month, Marie-Thérèse was arrested in Anniston, Alabama, and is currently being held at a detention facility in Louisiana. Her son described the incident as traumatic, noting that she was handcuffed as if she were a dangerous criminal. The family had not received any updates for several days until French consular officials stepped in to assist.

The elderly woman, who reportedly suffers from heart and back issues, is among many detainees in the facility. Her family is deeply concerned for her health and is advocating for her immediate release and return to France. Adding to the complexity of her situation, Marie-Thérèse had been embroiled in a dispute with her late husband's son regarding inheritance, which included allegations of intimidation and the cutting off of basic utilities. She had retained a lawyer and was scheduled for a hearing shortly before her arrest.

French authorities are now involved in the matter, and her family continues to fight for her release, describing the entire experience as reminiscent of a bad American film.