By Grace Zigah
A major human rights controversy has erupted in the United States after the American Civil Liberties Union accused American immigration authorities of unlawfully detaining a pregnant Ghanaian woman and her four-year-old son at Washington Dulles International Airport for more than a week despite both holding valid tourist visas.
According to court filings submitted in a federal court by the ACLU of Virginia, the woman, identified as 38-year-old Anabella Gyasi, arrived in the United States on May 19, 2026, together with her son, identified only as G.O.O., who reportedly suffers from a hand deformity and physical disability requiring specialised medical attention.
The family had reportedly travelled from Ghana to the United States to seek medical evaluation and possible corrective surgery for the child at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio. Court documents indicate that the child had an appointment scheduled for May 30 after doctors earlier advised the family that surgery was not possible when he was younger.
Both mother and son were reportedly in possession of tourist visas valid until April 2028.
However, the ACLU alleges that shortly after arriving at Dulles Airport, officials from the United States Customs and Border Protection questioned Gyasi extensively about the purpose of her visit and whether she feared returning to Ghana because of her son’s disability.
According to the ACLU’s legal director in Virginia, Eden Heilman, Gyasi answered honestly that she feared discrimination and difficulties connected to her son’s condition in Ghana.
The organisation claims that following her response, immigration authorities classified her as an asylum applicant and moved to cancel her tourist visa, effectively placing both mother and child into detention.
“If she hadn’t answered that question honestly, she would have been well on her way to her child’s doctor’s appointment,” Heilman reportedly stated.
The case has sparked outrage among immigrant rights advocates after reports emerged that the mother and child have allegedly been held inside a windowless holding area at the airport for more than a week.
Court filings describe the detention room as a converted work area containing only a single bed, a toilet, and a sink.
The ACLU further alleges that neither the pregnant woman nor her disabled child received proper medical screening immediately after being detained.
The legal battle also comes amid reports that the US State Department recently instructed diplomatic missions to ask non-immigrant visa applicants whether they feared returning to their home countries, with officials allegedly directed to deny visas to individuals answering yes.
It remains unclear whether that policy directly influenced the handling of Gyasi’s case.
The ACLU says the woman’s health has significantly deteriorated during detention.
According to the court filings, Gyasi was rushed to the hospital on two separate occasions after suffering health complications linked to stress and inadequate feeding conditions.
On one occasion, she reportedly became lightheaded, with medical personnel allegedly expressing concerns that she was not receiving sufficient food while in custody.
Days later, she reportedly experienced vaginal bleeding and was again transported to the hospital, where doctors confirmed she had developed high blood pressure and attributed her condition to severe stress.
Despite the medical concerns, the ACLU says she was returned to detention at the airport after both hospital visits.
