A federal judge in the United States has ordered the immediate release of a pregnant Ghanaian woman and her four-year-old son after they spent more than a week in detention at Washington Dulles International Airport.
The woman, identified as Anabella Gyasi, arrived in the United States on May 19 with a valid tourist visa to seek medical treatment for her son. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), both mother and child had been held in a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) holding facility at the airport since their arrival.
The ruling was welcomed by the ACLU, which had filed a habeas corpus petition on behalf of Gyasi and her son earlier this week, challenging the legality of their continued detention.
“Today the court ordered in no uncertain terms that Ms. Gyasi and her son are not to spend another night in Dulles Airport,” said Mary Bauer, Executive Director of the ACLU of Virginia.
Bauer argued that the prolonged detention had endangered both Gyasi’s health and her pregnancy, describing the conditions as inhumane.
“Ms. Gyasi’s health and the viability of her pregnancy have both been endangered for more than a week as a result of the Trump administration’s dangerous and unlawful detention practices,” she said.
While expressing relief at the court’s decision, Bauer maintained that no individual should be subjected to the conditions allegedly experienced by the Ghanaian mother and her child.
According to court filings, Gyasi and her son were being detained despite policies that generally favour the release of vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women and children. The petition also cited a legal settlement requiring that children be transferred out of detention facilities within 72 hours.
The case stems from Gyasi’s efforts to secure specialised medical treatment for her son, who suffers from physical abnormalities affecting both hands.
Court documents indicate that Gyasi first travelled to the United States with her son in 2024 to consult a medical specialist. At the time, doctors reportedly determined that the child was too young to undergo corrective surgery.
Earlier this month, she arranged a pre-operative appointment at a children’s hospital in Ohio and travelled using the same tourist visa previously granted by U.S. authorities.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official confirmed that Gyasi had been held in CBP custody at Dulles Airport and initially stated that she would remain detained pending an immigration hearing.
However, following Friday’s court ruling, Gyasi and her son were expected to leave U.S. custody and return to Ghana.
The Department of Homeland Security has rejected allegations regarding poor detention conditions, describing such claims as inaccurate.
In a statement, DHS said all individuals held in CBP custody receive appropriate care, including medical evaluations, medication, food and other essential services.
The case has attracted significant attention from immigration advocates and human rights groups, who argue that the detention of vulnerable individuals, particularly pregnant women and young children, raises serious humanitarian and legal concerns.
