Pregnant woman detained at US airport agrees to return to Ghana after judge orders release amid deportation dispute
A pregnant Ghanaian woman and her young son are preparing to return to Ghana after a federal judge intervened in a dispute over their detention at a U.S. airport, where advocates say they were held for days in restrictive conditions before agreeing to deportation.
Anabella Gyasi arrived in the United States on a valid visa seeking medical treatment for her 4-year-old son, who has severe physical disabilities. According to her attorneys, the pair was detained for about a week in a windowless holding room at Dulles International Airport, where they had limited access to food and basic amenities.
Court filings from her legal team allege that Gyasi, who is more than four months pregnant, experienced medical complications during the detention and was taken to the hospital twice. Her attorneys also claim that she and her son were not provided adequate food until she agreed to leave the country.
A federal judge said Friday that Gyasi should not remain in detention any longer and noted that she had made her wishes clear. In a brief order, the judge dismissed the case as moot after government attorneys indicated that Gyasi and her son could be flown back to Ghana that same day.
“She wants to go home,” the judge said, according to the order.
The case has drawn attention from immigration advocates, who say it highlights broader concerns about the treatment of pregnant detainees and families in immigration custody. They argue that Gyasi’s situation reflects a pattern of coercive conditions that force vulnerable individuals into difficult choices.
Gyasi originally traveled to the U.S. to seek surgical care for her son, who has been unable to receive treatment in Ghana for his condition. She had previously made a similar attempt to bring him to the United States for medical care, but was not successful at the time.
During the recent detention, her attorneys say she and her son were held in a confined space with minimal facilities and that the child experienced distress due to a lack of food. They argue that Gyasi ultimately agreed to return to Ghana out of concern for both her pregnancy and her son’s immediate well-being.
Advocates also say she did not intend to abandon her immigration claims but was left with no realistic alternative under the circumstances.
Following the judge’s order, arrangements were made for Gyasi and her son to depart for Ghana, bringing an end to the immediate legal dispute while broader concerns raised by her case remain unresolved.
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