Pregnant Ghanaian Woman and Son Finally Cleared to Return Home After Week-Long Detention at US Airport
A pregnant Ghanaian woman and her four-year-old son who spent more than a week detained under difficult conditions at Washington Dulles International Airport have finally been cleared to return home after a US federal judge intervened in the case.
US District Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled on Friday that Anabella Gyasi and her son should be allowed to immediately leave the airport and return to Ghana, stating that “the welfare of the petitioners and the interests of justice are best served” by permitting their departure.
The ruling followed growing concern over the treatment of the Ghanaian mother and child, who had reportedly been confined in what lawyers described as “a windowless room with a single bed and toilet” since arriving in the United States on valid tourist visas.
According to court documents, Gyasi, 38, travelled from Ghana seeking medical care for her son at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio, where he was scheduled to be evaluated for possible surgery to correct severe abnormalities affecting the fingers on both hands. The family had reportedly visited the United States two years earlier for the same medical issue, but doctors had determined at the time that the child was too young for surgery.
However, shortly after landing at Dulles Airport, Gyasi and her son were taken into custody by US immigration authorities after she disclosed fears of returning to Ghana and indicated she intended to seek asylum.
The pregnant mother, who is approximately four and a half months pregnant, was allegedly held under harsh conditions that drew criticism from immigration advocates and human rights groups. Her legal team from the ACLU of Virginia argued that she was denied adequate food, medical care, and basic humane treatment during her detention.
Court filings revealed that Gyasi was hospitalized twice during the ordeal first for lightheadedness and later for vaginal bleeding linked to stress and high blood pressure. Attorneys said doctors became concerned about her nutritional condition after learning she had struggled to eat the unfamiliar food provided during detention.
“She cannot spend tonight at Dulles,” Judge Brinkema reportedly told government attorneys during Friday’s hearing in Alexandria, Virginia. “One way or another, we’re going to get her out.”
Gyasi’s lawyers argued that the Ghanaian woman was effectively punished for honestly disclosing her fears of persecution in Ghana during questioning by US Customs and Border Protection officers.
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According to official transcripts cited in court, Gyasi told authorities that her mother, described as a traditional priest, had pressured her to kill her child because of his physical disability.
The US government maintained that Gyasi’s tourist visa was invalid because she admitted she did not intend to return immediately to Ghana and had plans to seek asylum in the United States. Immigration officials also disclosed that she had previously researched asylum opportunities in countries including Canada and Australia.
After an immigration judge denied her asylum request earlier in the week, her legal team shifted focus toward ensuring her safe release and return home, citing concerns about her health, the wellbeing of her unborn child, and the condition of her young son.
Mary Bauer, Executive Director of the ACLU of Virginia, welcomed the court’s decision, saying the ruling reinforced the principle that “human beings should not be detained under such conditions.”
The Department of Homeland Security, however, denied allegations of mistreatment, insisting that all individuals in Customs and Border Protection custody receive appropriate food, medical care, and supervision.
The case has drawn widespread attention amid growing scrutiny of US immigration detention practices and the treatment of asylum seekers arriving through American airports. It also highlights the challenges faced by migrants and travelers caught in increasingly strict immigration enforcement measures under evolving US border policies.
Gyasi and her son were expected to depart the United States Friday night and return to Ghana following the federal court order.
