Trump Agrees to Issue Visa for Mother of Bronx Teen Shot Dead

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Saturday that President Donald Trump has agreed to grant a visa to the mother of a 15-year-old immigrant from Ghana who was killed in the Bronx this week. The visa will allow the mother to travel to the United States to say goodbye to her son in person.

Javits Frimpong was walking to school in a Bronx neighborhood shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday when he was shot in the abdomen. New York City police confirmed that Frimpong was pronounced dead at a hospital later that day. No arrests have been made, and the investigation into the shooting remains open.

Frimpong had lived in Ghana for his entire life until arriving in the Bronx one year ago to join his father, Thomas Frimpong. U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat representing the Bronx district, described the teen as a young man with his whole future ahead of him. Torres noted that the family is mourning a tragedy that should not have happened to a child walking to school.

Thomas Frimpong spoke to reporters about his son’s final days. He described Javits as a quiet teenager who spent much of his time on his cellphone. The father said he learned several days before the shooting that his son was being bullied at school. The principal had suspended two students who were disturbing Javits and called the father to update him. Thomas Frimpong said he spoke to his son that day, and Javits assured him he was okay.

Mamdani shared the details of his conversation with the president on X on Saturday. He wrote that the murder of a child is a pain no parent should endure from thousands of miles away. The mayor stated that he spoke directly with Trump and that the president agreed to grant the visa immediately. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation from The Associated Press.

Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, said in a post on X that Ghanaian officials in New York are coordinating with local authorities. The foreign ministry stated it will work with U.S. authorities to ensure justice is secured. Trump has tightened immigration controls during his second term, including suspending visa processing for 75 countries.

The mother of the deceased teen is currently in Ghana. The visa process will determine when she can travel to New York for the funeral and to be with her husband.