An 86-year-old French woman who moved to the US last year after rekindling a 1960s romance is being detained at an immigration enforcement centre in Louisiana.

The son of Marie-Thérèse, from the city of Nantes, sounded the alarm after his mother was arrested in Anniston, Alabama, earlier in April.

"They handcuffed her hands and feet like she was a dangerous criminal," he told French outlet Ouest-France.

The US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), told the BBC that an "illegal alien from France" matching Marie-Thérèse's name had entered the country in June 2025 and overstayed her 90-day visa.

According to her son, however, Marie-Thérèse was awaiting a green card when she was detained.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0rre4d9k0o