Marie-Thérèse Ross, the widow of a retired U.S. military veteran, told The Associated Press she was arrested on April 1 at her home in Anniston, Alabama, after immigration officers arrived early in the morning and took her into custody over an alleged violation of the terms of her 90-day visa.

Ross said she was transferred to a federal immigration detention facility in Basile, Louisiana, where she shared a dormitory-style room with dozens of women, many of them mothers separated from their children.
“Some of them didn’t know where their children were,” Ross said in remarks published Tuesday by the AP. “I think it’s terrible for a woman not to know where her children are.”

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Ross had overstayed her visa at the time of her arrest. The department had not publicly commented further on the case as of Tuesday.

Ross returned to France after her release later in April and is recovering with relatives near Nantes. Family members told AP she continues to experience memory gaps and emotional distress following her detention and is seeking medical support for symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress.

The case drew diplomatic attention in France after Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot publicly criticized the detention, saying the methods used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were “not in line” with French standards.

Ross said she had moved to the United States after marrying William B. Ross, a retired U.S. soldier she first met while he was stationed in France during the 1950s. The couple reunited decades later after both became widowed and married last year before settling in Alabama.

William Ross died in January, after which a dispute reportedly emerged over his estate. An Alabama judge later alleged in a court order that one of Ross’s stepsons, a former Alabama State Trooper now employed by the federal government, may have used his position to facilitate her detention and called for a federal investigation.

The stepson denied involvement.
Ross described conditions inside the Louisiana detention center as orderly but said guards frequently shouted at detainees and treated them condescendingly. She also recalled hearing children and babies crying at night inside the facility.

“The prison was clean, the food was okay, but it was the way they spoke to us,” Ross told AP.
Despite the conditions, Ross said detainees showed solidarity toward her because of her age, describing how women in the facility referred to her as “Grandma” and cared for her during her stay.

Her detention comes amid heightened enforcement efforts under Trump-era immigration policies that have drawn criticism from immigrant rights groups and some foreign governments over detention practices and family separations.

Ross said the experience reshaped views she once held about the United States. She said she had previously regarded the country as a place where detainees were treated fairly and respectfully but now questioned those assumptions after witnessing the treatment of women held alongside her, many of whom were from South America.

“When I left this jail in Louisiana, I told them that if I ever had the chance to speak about them, I would do it,” Ross said.

The action was organised by civic leaders, labour unions, and religious groups who described the strike as a peaceful but powerful response to what they view as excessive federal intervention. Despite freezing temperatures and heavy snow, protesters gathered to demonstrate collective resistance.

Shops, cafes, museums, restaurants, and neighbourhood businesses across Minneapolis and surrounding areas shut their doors for the day. Flyers reading “No Work, No School, No Shopping” were displayed prominently, reflecting the intention to disrupt normal life as a form of protest.

Many workers joined marches planned throughout the city, which organisers described as the largest mobilisation so far against the immigration enforcement surge. City leaders sympathetic to the protest compared the federal presence to an invasion, intensifying political tensions.

Community organisers said the strike was about more than policy disagreement. It was framed as a moral stand against fear, disruption, and the psychological toll felt by families witnessing arrests and raids in their neighbourhoods.

Local business owners chose to sacrifice income to highlight the seriousness of the situation. Protesters said the willingness to endure harsh weather conditions underscored the depth of frustration and urgency driving the movement.

Schools across Minneapolis and St. Paul remained open, but several districts offered remote learning options to accommodate students affected by demonstrations. Officials aimed to ensure safety while acknowledging the extraordinary circumstances.

The strike followed days of heated street confrontations between protesters and immigration agents. Demonstrators used whistles, drums, and chants to express opposition, while law enforcement responded with crowd-control measures in some areas.

Reports of tear gas and flash-bang devices heightened public anger and concern. Protesters accused agents of escalating tensions, while federal officials claimed officers were being harassed and obstructed.

The immigration surge was initiated following allegations of fraud involving individuals from Minnesota’s Somali community. Federal rhetoric surrounding the operation drew sharp criticism, with residents calling it discriminatory and inflammatory.

Many Minnesotans described the enforcement actions as collective punishment rather than targeted law enforcement. Community leaders warned that such measures risk deepening mistrust and social division.

Senior federal officials visited Minneapolis to defend the operations, stating that efforts were being made to lower tensions. However, residents said assurances rang hollow amid ongoing arrests and heavy enforcement presence.

Participants in the march said traditional protests had failed to generate meaningful change. The economic strike was intended to demonstrate the scale of opposition by impacting commerce and visibility.

Large corporations headquartered in Minnesota largely remained silent, drawing criticism from activists and lawmakers. Some companies faced renewed scrutiny over their commitments to diversity and employee protections.

State officials pressed major retailers to clarify how employees should respond if immigration agents enter workplaces. The lack of public guidance intensified pressure on corporate leadership.

The strike highlighted broader national debates over immigration enforcement, civil liberties, and federal authority. Minnesota’s response has become a focal point for activists across the country.

Organisers said the action was only the beginning, warning that further protests could follow if enforcement continues.

For many residents, the strike was about dignity, safety, and being seen.

According to US media reports, the move is a precautionary step taken by the Pentagon in response to rising tensions and the possibility of further violence linked to demonstrations targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the state.

While no final decision has been made on deployment, defense officials indicated that readiness is necessary given the rapidly evolving situation on the ground.

The potential deployment follows a sharp increase in federal immigration activity in Minneapolis and surrounding areas, which has triggered widespread protests and confrontations between residents and law enforcement.

President Donald Trump has publicly warned that he may invoke the Insurrection Act if state authorities fail to control demonstrators who, he claims, are attacking federal immigration officers.

The White House has stated that it is standard practice for the Pentagon to prepare for any directive the president may issue, emphasizing that readiness does not automatically mean troops will be deployed.

Reports indicate that the soldiers placed on standby belong to two US Army infantry battalions under the 11th Airborne Division, based in Alaska, and trained in cold-weather operations.

Their specialization makes them suitable for potential deployment in Minnesota’s winter conditions should the situation escalate further.

At the same time, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has mobilized the state’s National Guard to support local law enforcement and emergency services, a move that underscores the seriousness of the unrest and the state government’s effort to maintain order without federal military intervention.

Tensions have remained particularly high since the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old US citizen and mother of three, by an ICE agent earlier this month in Minneapolis.

The incident has fueled public anger, leading to sustained protests and heightened scrutiny of federal immigration tactics.

Demonstrations have grown larger and more emotionally charged, with community leaders accusing federal authorities of excessive force and escalating the situation rather than calming it.

President Trump has defended the surge of nearly 3,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis and nearby St. Paul, describing it as necessary to protect federal personnel and property.

He has also pointed to alleged corruption and misuse of federal funds in Minnesota as justification for the intervention, while repeatedly singling out the state’s Somali immigrant community in his remarks.

Local and state leaders, however, have accused the administration of federal overreach and of exaggerating isolated incidents to justify a heavy-handed response.

The Insurrection Act, last widely used decades ago, grants the president authority to deploy the military domestically to suppress unrest.

Its possible use has sparked concern among civil rights groups and legal experts, who warn that deploying active-duty troops could further inflame tensions and set a troubling precedent.

For now, the situation remains fluid, with both federal and state authorities bracing for developments that could shape the national debate on immigration enforcement, protest rights, and the limits of executive power.

The coming days will be critical in determining whether dialogue or force prevails. The outcome could have lasting implications for civil-military relations in the US.