Adama Bamba
April 14, 2026•Last Updated: April 14, 2026
AA / Istanbul / Adama Bamba
A French national, 85, was arrested at her home by the American immigration police, before being placed in a detention center in Louisiana, members of her family said on Monday.
According to information reported by the French media outlet BFMTV, her son Hervé, who confirmed the information revealed by the newspaper Ouest-France, said the octogenarian was apprehended on April 1 by ICE agents, the American immigration agency.
Neighbors’ testimonies suggest that the woman, living in Alabama, was reportedly “handcuffed feet and hands”. Her family claims not to know the exact reasons for this arrest and said they were informed of the situation by neighbors.
“We have had no direct contact with her since her arrest,” explained her son, mentioning that the family received updates from people on site.
According to the information, the octogenarian is currently held in a detention center located in Louisiana, in the southeastern United States.
The family also mentioned that initial contact was made with French authorities. A consulate representative in Louisiana reportedly met her last Thursday, while the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation to find a solution and secure her swift release.
The French woman had recently settled in the United States after marrying a former American Air Force colonel, a Vietnam War veteran. The two had met over sixty years ago at an NATO base, before reconnecting after their spouses passed away.
Her husband passed away suddenly in January at the age of 85. The widow was awaiting the regularization of her green card and a judicial decision related to inheritance matters before considering a return to France.
Created to combat illegal immigration, the American agency ICE, at the forefront of President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant policies, is regularly criticized by human rights organizations.
