Kwadwo, a 57-year-old Ghanaian man, has been detained at an immigration facility in California for over two months. He was arrested by ICE agents at San Francisco International Airport while waiting to board a domestic flight to Dallas to visit a cousin recovering from a stroke. Kwadwo, a respiratory therapist with no criminal record, was approached by a plainclothes agent who asked him to confirm his identity before identifying himself as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official.
The agent informed Kwadwo that he was under arrest for overstaying his visa, despite Kwadwo having a pending second appeal for a green card that has been in process since May 2025. Three more agents appeared and escorted him to the arrivals area, where officers placed chains around his feet, waist, and hands in full view of other travelers. Kwadwo expressed shock at being treated like a hardened criminal, saying, "To have chains around me, as if I am the hardest criminal on earth, that was my first shock."
According to court documents, Kwadwo's detention stems from an expired student visa. He applied for a green card but was rejected in June 2024, and a first appeal was also unsuccessful. A second appeal has remained pending since May 2025. After his arrest, Kwadwo was taken to the federal immigration building in downtown San Francisco, where his shoes and trousers were confiscated, and then transported to the Golden State Annex immigration detention center near Bakersfield.
Kwadwo's case reflects a significant change in how immigration enforcement functions within the United States. The Transportation Security Administration has begun sharing domestic passenger data with ICE, making immigrants with precarious or pending legal status vulnerable to arrest at airports, even when flying within the country. This shift has raised concerns among immigration attorneys, who say it has become more challenging for their clients to travel.
Karl Kooth, a private immigration attorney in San Francisco with 26 years of practice, described the shift as unprecedented, saying there was a "sea change, on a level that is remarkable, when it comes to domestic travel." Some attorneys are now advising clients, including green-card holders, to avoid air travel entirely due to the increased risk of arrest.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the administration had "reversed the Biden-era policy that allowed aliens to unlawfully present in the United States to jet around our country." The spokesperson did not provide further details on the policy change or its implications for immigrants.
Kwadwo's detention has highlighted the complexities of US immigration policy and the challenges faced by immigrants navigating the system. His case has also raised questions about the balance between enforcing immigration laws and protecting the rights of individuals with pending legal status. As Kwadwo's second appeal remains pending, his future in the United States remains uncertain.
Key points
- A 57-year-old Ghanaian respiratory therapist has been detained by ICE for over two months despite having a pending green card appeal.
- The Transportation Security Administration has begun sharing domestic passenger data with ICE, making immigrants with precarious or pending legal status vulnerable to arrest at airports.
- Immigration attorneys say the shift in domestic travel policy has become so severe that some are advising clients to avoid air travel entirely.
