30/05/2026
PREGNANT WOMAN AND SON FLY HOME TO GHANA AFTER BEING DETAINED FOR OVER A WEEK AT DULLES AIRPORT 🚨
A pregnant Ghanaian woman and her 4-year-old son have been detained for over a week at Dulles International Airport after arriving on valid tourist visas, according to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Anabella Gyasi, 38, arrived at Dulles on May 19, 2026, with her son for a scheduled medical appointment at Akron Children's Hospital in Ohio. During questioning by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, Gyasi disclosed that she feared returning to Ghana due to persecution she and her son faced because of his disability.
This disclosure led CBP to nullify her tourist visa and classify her as an asylum applicant, resulting in her detention.
The ACLU, which filed an emergency petition on her behalf, alleged that Gyasi and her son were confined to a windowless room with a single bed, a toilet, and a sink for more than a week. Gyasi, who is over four months pregnant, was hospitalized twice for complications including vaginal bleeding and lightheadedness.
Attorneys also claimed the pair were denied adequate food, with her son reportedly crying from hunger pains.
The Department of Homeland Security denied the allegations of mistreatment, stating that "everyone in CBP custody... has access to appropriate care".
On May 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ordered that Gyasi and her son be returned to Ghana, ruling that "the welfare of the petitioners and the interests of justice are best served by allowing petitioners to return home immediately".