A Desperate Plea from an American Family Stuck Abroad Due to Trump's Travel Ban
The Trump administration's latest travel ban has left a Missouri family of seven stranded thousands of miles away in Nigeria. The Wilsons, who were on the cusp of bringing their newly adopted baby home, are now facing an uncertain future as the Biden administration struggles to undo the damage.
Kaylee and James Wilson had always dreamed of starting a family through adoption. After meeting in 2012, they fell deeply in love and got married in 2013. Over the years, they welcomed four more children into their lives, including Valor, born in Missouri in 2023. The couple's journey to becoming a family of seven was marked by several milestones, including adopting their first daughter Emmanuella from Ghana in 2016.
Their biological daughter Harriette and son Valor were born during this time, while their third adopted child Eden, who is deaf and language-deprived, was welcomed into the family in 2021. The Wilsons' journey to bring Oluwatoyin, their sixth child, home to Missouri was almost complete when Trump's travel ban was announced on December 16, 2025.
The ban, which includes Nigeria among its restricted countries, has made it impossible for the family to return to the United States with their adopted children. The Wilsons, who have been living in Nigeria since March 2024, are now facing a future where they may not be able to return home anytime soon.
"We're trying to make the most of our time here," Kaylee said in an emotional interview. "We're just focused on using this time as a family to bond. It's a special time because we don't have the distractions of American life."
The Wilsons are aware that they may not be the only ones affected by the ban. According to social media, over 300 families, many of whom are Americans, are facing similar struggles.
"We're speaking out because we know we can't do this alone," Kaylee said. "We want to share our story and connect with other families who are going through something similar."
Despite their desperation, the Wilsons remain hopeful that the situation will change soon. "Every child is worthy and deserves to be loved by a family," Kaylee said.
The couple's pleas have been met with an eerie silence from the Trump administration. The reason behind the ban remains unclear, but it has sparked fears of increased vetting and screening for adoptive families.
As the Wilsons continue to fight for their right to return home, they are relying on the support of their community and online followers. They have started a coffee company, Level Grounds Xpresso, and run a website, Waiting for Eden, which documents their journey as an international family.
The situation has left many questioning the motivations behind Trump's decision. "Perhaps it was an oversight," Kaylee said, hoping that the administration may reconsider its stance on adoption-related visas.
For now, the Wilsons are stuck in Nigeria, fighting for a chance to return home and build a life with their adopted children. As they wait and pray for something to change, they remain steadfast in their commitment to each other and their family's future.
The Trump administration's latest travel ban has left a Missouri family of seven stranded thousands of miles away in Nigeria. The Wilsons, who were on the cusp of bringing their newly adopted baby home, are now facing an uncertain future as the Biden administration struggles to undo the damage.
Kaylee and James Wilson had always dreamed of starting a family through adoption. After meeting in 2012, they fell deeply in love and got married in 2013. Over the years, they welcomed four more children into their lives, including Valor, born in Missouri in 2023. The couple's journey to becoming a family of seven was marked by several milestones, including adopting their first daughter Emmanuella from Ghana in 2016.
Their biological daughter Harriette and son Valor were born during this time, while their third adopted child Eden, who is deaf and language-deprived, was welcomed into the family in 2021. The Wilsons' journey to bring Oluwatoyin, their sixth child, home to Missouri was almost complete when Trump's travel ban was announced on December 16, 2025.
The ban, which includes Nigeria among its restricted countries, has made it impossible for the family to return to the United States with their adopted children. The Wilsons, who have been living in Nigeria since March 2024, are now facing a future where they may not be able to return home anytime soon.
"We're trying to make the most of our time here," Kaylee said in an emotional interview. "We're just focused on using this time as a family to bond. It's a special time because we don't have the distractions of American life."
The Wilsons are aware that they may not be the only ones affected by the ban. According to social media, over 300 families, many of whom are Americans, are facing similar struggles.
"We're speaking out because we know we can't do this alone," Kaylee said. "We want to share our story and connect with other families who are going through something similar."
Despite their desperation, the Wilsons remain hopeful that the situation will change soon. "Every child is worthy and deserves to be loved by a family," Kaylee said.
The couple's pleas have been met with an eerie silence from the Trump administration. The reason behind the ban remains unclear, but it has sparked fears of increased vetting and screening for adoptive families.
As the Wilsons continue to fight for their right to return home, they are relying on the support of their community and online followers. They have started a coffee company, Level Grounds Xpresso, and run a website, Waiting for Eden, which documents their journey as an international family.
The situation has left many questioning the motivations behind Trump's decision. "Perhaps it was an oversight," Kaylee said, hoping that the administration may reconsider its stance on adoption-related visas.
For now, the Wilsons are stuck in Nigeria, fighting for a chance to return home and build a life with their adopted children. As they wait and pray for something to change, they remain steadfast in their commitment to each other and their family's future.
This is just heartbreaking. I mean, can you even imagine being on the other side of the world from your own country with no clear way back? The Wilsons seem like such a lovely family and it's just so unfair that they're going through this because of someone else's policies 
. It's not just about them either - hundreds of families are affected by this ban, including American ones who just want to be with their kids again 
. I hope the Biden admin gets a grip on this ASAP and reverses it soon 
and I'm like what even is the point of that? like can't you just use butter instead? and then I started thinking about how much I love grilled cheese and I was like omg i need to try making one with brie now 
anyone got a good recipe for this?
. Can't we just accept ppl from all over the world with open arms? Family is family, no matter where u come from 
. It's not fair that they're facing an uncertain future just because of a policy change 
. I hope they can get the help they need and get back home to Missouri soon 
Like what's the point of having a president if you're just gonna hurt families who are trying to build a life together? The Wilsons' story is heartbreaking, they've already been through so much as a family and now they're being punished for it. And it's not like this is an isolated incident, there are hundreds more families affected by this travel ban 
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. i mean, think about it, the trump admin might've been protecting americans from getting scammed by some shady adoption agencies or fake families who just want to bring in their own kids and get a tax break 
. the wilsons sound like they're already having a great life with their adopted kids, so maybe they don't need to go back to the usa that badly 
their baby's bday is coming up & now they gotta miss it because ooluwatoyin is from nigeria... its so unfair 
the usa needs to rethink this adoption policy ASAP. whats next, banning families with deaf kids? 
we should be speaking out against this cuz it affects so many ppl 
& the fact that u got a coffee company now is like a silver lining 
️ let's keep supporting them on their website & socials 
They've been through so much already adoptin' 6 kids from diff countries & buildin a life as a family of seven... now its just so unfair that Trump's ban is messin with all that. Its like, whats the point of havin a fam if u cant even be together? 
. And the thing that really gets me is that it's not just them, but hundreds more families who are affected by this ban 
. It's time for some accountability and a real explanation behind this decision 
.
this is so sad what's goin on over there 
who just wanna bring home their adopted baby Valor 
it's not fair that they're stuck in nigeria 
with no way to come back 
level grounds exproso is a great idea btw 
. it's like, what even are we doing? 
. the fact that they've started a coffee company and a website just shows how resilient they are, but also how desperate they feel 
. I wish there was more support from the government & the community. This fam needs our help! Let's raise awareness & make some noise about this issue 
#JusticeForTheWilsons #AdoptionReformNow #TravelBanIsNotFair
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. The fact that over 300 families are facing similar struggles is alarming and highlights the need for more transparency and compassion from our leaders 
And what about all those other families who are going through the same thing? Like over 300?! It's just not right