Pregnant Ghanaian woman and son allegedly held for days at US airport over medical tyrip
A Ghanaian mother and her young son have become the centre of a legal battle in the United States after civil rights lawyers accused immigration officials of unlawfully detaining them at Washington Dulles International Airport despite holding valid travel visas.
The woman, identified as Anabella Gyasi, reportedly travelled to the US with her four-year-old son to seek specialised medical treatment for a disability affecting the child’s hands.
According to court documents filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in Virginia, the pair arrived in the United States on May 19, 2026, ahead of a scheduled appointment at Akron Children’s Hospital later this month. Their tourist visas were reportedly valid until 2028.
However, after landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, officials from US Customs and Border Protection allegedly detained them for questioning and placed them in a holding facility at the airport.
The legal petition claims the mother and child have remained confined in a small room for more than a week under stressful conditions, with limited access to food and proper care.
Lawyers representing the family further alleged that Ms. Gyasi, who is pregnant, was twice taken to hospital after experiencing complications including bleeding and dizziness. Medical personnel reportedly diagnosed her with high blood pressure and advised that stress and poor nutrition were affecting her condition before she was returned to detention.
The case has triggered criticism from immigration rights advocates, who argue that the treatment of the family violates constitutional protections and humanitarian standards.
Attorneys involved in the case are seeking an emergency court order to halt any deportation process and secure the immediate release of the mother and child pending a hearing.
The situation has also reignited debate in the United States over immigration enforcement policies affecting pregnant women and families entering the country for medical or humanitarian reasons.
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