In the stillness of night at a Louisiana immigration detention facility, 85-year-old Marie-Thérèse Ross was held.

Suddenly, the wailing began.

Ross, a French widow of a U.S. military veteran, whose arrest as part of Trump's immigration crackdown made international news, spoke to The Associated Press about her experience.

Arrested on April 1 in Alabama for an alleged visa overstay, she spent 16 days in federal custody before being released and returning to France.

Ross described the harsh conditions at the facility where she was detained with 58 other women, mostly mothers.

Many were separated from their children, a situation Ross found particularly distressing.

The arrest itself occurred swiftly: immigration officers arrived at her doorstep, handcuffed her while she was still in her bathrobe and pajamas, and placed her in a vehicle.

She was later transferred to a facility in Basile, Louisiana, before being released that same month.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot publicly called for her release, criticizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement methods as not aligning with French standards.

Ross had moved to the U.S. to start anew with William B.

Ross after they reconnected years after he was stationed in France where she worked at NATO.

They married last year.

Following William's death from natural causes, a dispute over his estate arose, leading to her arrest for missing an immigration-related appointment.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that Ross had overstayed her 90-day visa.

Despite numerous requests for comment from DHS regarding the case, there was no response.

Ross described the rules at the detention facility as strict and the guards' treatment condescending.

The noise was constant, punctuated by the cries of children, including infants in detention.

Despite the conditions, Ross noted moments of solidarity among detainees, such as a handmade friendship bracelet given to her by another detainee.

She expressed distress over memory gaps and emotional trauma post-detention, intending to seek medical follow-up in France for symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ross's experience profoundly changed her perception of the United States and its immigration policies, contrasting sharply with her previous view of the U.S. as a country of freedom where detention was based on respect and fairness rather than appearance.

She remains deeply troubled by the treatment she observed, particularly towards South American detainees.

In recounting her story, Ross hopes to shed light on their plight and advocate for fairer treatment of immigrants.