. >> reporter: the actress known for playing lily vander woodson, a complicated, yet loving mother, nowto pick up the pieces of a real-life drama. six years ago when rutherford filed for divorce, she and her ex-husband were supposed to share custody, but when he was expelled from the u.s., the judge ruled that the children should live with their dad tim prafrl while he reapplied for a visa, saying the best interests of the children will be served because the relocation plan for france is the only plan that offers the possibility of nearly equally parenting time while daniel cannot return to the u.s. but he has not reapplied for a visa. >> you have a father whose visa gets revoked. two parents who are both deemed to be good parents, an attorney for the kids who says the kids ought to stay here, and a judge determines that because the dad can't come to the united states that the kids ought to go with him? >> reporter: rutherford expressed her pain then on "the view." >> they're in france. i last saw them about a week ago. they were supposed to start school the next day. my little girl sai