Voices from Detention: A French Widow's Experience in U.S. Immigration Custody
At night, the Louisiana immigration detention center where 85-year-old Marie-Thérèse Ross was held fell into silence, only to be disrupted by the sound of children crying and babies wailing. Ross, a French widow of a U.S. military veteran, was arrested as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. She spent 16 days in federal immigration custody after being arrested in Alabama for an alleged visa overstay. Ross was held in a dormitory-style room with 58 other women, many of whom were mothers. She was released and has returned to France, where she is recovering with her family in Nantes.
Ross's arrest in Alabama was sudden, with immigration officers banging on her door early in the morning and taking her into custody. She was later transferred to a facility in Basile, Louisiana, where she described strict rules, constant shouting from guards, and condescending treatment. Despite the challenging conditions, Ross found moments of solidarity among detainees, with some showing kindness towards her due to her age. She formed connections with the women in detention, many of whom were from South America and had been separated from their children.
The experience in detention has left Ross with memory gaps and emotional distress, leading her to seek medical follow-up in France for symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress. She continues to think about the women she met in custody and has expressed a desire to speak out on their behalf to raise awareness about their situation. Ross's perspective on the United States and its immigration policies has shifted as a result of her time in detention. She now sees the treatment of immigrants in facilities as unjust and believes that those she met did not deserve to be detained simply for their nationality.
As Ross reflects on her time in immigration custody and the impact it has had on her, she remains committed to advocating for the women she met and raising awareness about their plight. Her experience has changed her view of the U.S. and its immigration policies, leading her to speak out in support of those who are unjustly detained.