A pregnant Ghanaian teacher and her four-year-old son have returned to Ghana. They spent more than a week in a confined room at Washington Dulles International Airport. This happened after a federal judge ended their attempt to seek asylum in the U.S. on Friday.
Anabella Gyasi, 38, arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa. Her son, born with physical abnormalities, needed medical evaluation. He was scheduled for possible surgery two years after initial assessment. Their visas were valid until 2028. Instead of proceeding to Ohio, Gyasi and her son were detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
According to lawyers, they were denied adequate food and medical care. The detention began when Gyasi disclosed her fear of returning to Ghana. She cited persecution her son faced due to his disability. Her mother, a traditional priest, had urged her to kill her son as a baby. Gyasi’s attorneys stated she was penalized for her honesty. "If she did not disclose the fear that she was having about persecution in her country, she could have still enter on the tourist visas," said Eden Heilman, Gyasi's lead attorney. "Unfortunately, because she was honest and shared her concerns, that's what funneled her into this separate asylum-seeker category."
U.S. authorities found a search history on Gyasi's phone about claiming asylum. She admitted researching asylum for two years. She also considered Canada and Australia. The government argued her tourist visa was invalid. They claimed her intent was not to return to Ghana. Gyasi’s credible fear interview resulted in a negative determination. An immigration judge later denied her asylum request. This made it almost impossible for her to stay in the U.S.
During detention, Gyasi, who is four and a half months pregnant, was hospitalized twice. She experienced lightheadedness and vaginal bleeding. Doctors linked these issues to high stress and blood pressure. Medical staff expressed concern over her insufficient food intake. They provided her with food. Her attorneys alleged her request to buy food was denied. CBP officers stated she could only eat provided food. Her son cried from hunger pains frequently. Gyasi reported feeling sick and weak from unfamiliar food.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema ordered their release. "She cannot spend tonight at Dulles. One way or another, we're going to get her out," Brinkema stated. The judge gave the Trump administration a deadline to arrange a nonstop flight to Ghana. Hours later, the ACLU confirmed Gyasi and her son were on a flight home. "We were very pleased that the judge recognised one fundamental principle, which is that human beings should not be detained under the conditions our client was being detained at Dulles Airport in a windowless room without access to appropriate food or medical care," said Mary Bauer, executive director of the ACLU of Virginia. The Department of Homeland Security denied mistreatment allegations. They stated all individuals in CBP custody get appropriate care. This includes medical evaluation, medication, and food. CBP agents seemed focused on Gyasi's pregnancy. Her attorneys believe this relates to policies on birthright citizenship. An Obama-era policy against detaining pregnant women, unless in extraordinary circumstances, was rescinded a year ago.
While her hopes of staying in the U.S. were dashed, the judge ensured no more nights in a windowless room at the airport.