Mayor says Trump will issue visa for mother of slain Ghanaian teen

What Happened

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says President Donald Trump has agreed to issue a visa for the mother of 15‑year‑old Javits Frimpong, who was shot dead in a Bronx neighbourhood on Oct 29, 2026. Frimpong was on his way to school shortly before 9.30 a.m. when a gunshot hit his abdomen; he died at a hospital later that day. Police have made no arrests and the case remains under investigation. The shooting has sparked worries about safety for children walking to school.

Reaction

Mamdani posted on X on Oct 31, 2026, calling the killing “a pain no parent should have to endure” and saying he had just spoken with Trump, who would grant the visa “immediately.” He added that “all of New York City is mourning this tragedy.” The White House did not immediately respond to an Associated Press email confirming the visa decision. U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who represents the Bronx, noted that Frimpong arrived from Ghana a year ago to join his father, Thomas Frimpong, and said the whole borough mourns the loss. Torres said every Bronx child should walk to school without fear and that no parent should face what Thomas is enduring. Ghana’s foreign minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa said Ghanaian officials in New York are coordinating with local authorities and will “work tirelessly with U.S. authorities to ensure justice is secured.”

Context

Trump’s second‑term immigration policy has suspended visa processing for 75 countries, making this visa grant an unusual exception that highlights the political sensitivity of the case.