New York City Mayor Mamdani secures Trump administration’s visa approval for mother of slain Ghanaian teenager

On October 31, 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced that U.S. President Donald Trump had approved a U.S. visa for Javits Frimpong's mother, allowing her to travel from Ghana to New York. The tragic incident occurred on October 29, when the 15-year-old Ghanaian student was fatally shot near his Bronx school. Javits had moved to the United States in 2025 to live with his father, a cab driver named Thomas Frimpong.

Mayor Mamdani learned of the president's decision during a phone call and confirmed it publicly on social media. He emphasized that the mother deserved to say goodbye to her son in person. The victim's father had previously spoken about ongoing school bullying, including an incident involving two suspended students who allegedly harassed Javits.

The NYPD has identified up to three male teenage suspects and is actively searching for them. Ghana's government strongly condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation. Community members held vigils to demand accountability as the city's Ghanaian diaspora mourned the loss of the young victim.