Ken Ofori-Atta detained by ICE over visa status
Ghana’s former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) yesterday amid questions over the legality of his stay in the United States,which has been confirmed by his legal team.
According to a statement issued on January 7, 2026 by his legal team, ICE took Ofori-Atta into custody following challenges related to his immigration status and pending petition for adjustment of status, a common process under U.S. law that allows individuals to extend their legal stay beyond the validity of their initial visa. His U.S. legal team is engaging with immigration authorities and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously.
“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as of yesterday detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States. His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously.”
“Mr. Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorizes a person to stay in the US legally past the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common.” the statement read
Mr. Ofori-Atta, who served as Minister for Finance from 2017 to 2023, has been in the United States since January 2025 for medical treatment after a diagnosis of prostate cancer, undergoing surgery and ongoing care. His detention comes amid continued legal and public scrutiny linked to his prolonged stay and unresolved legal matters relating to Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The former minister is facing allegations of financial misconduct and was declared a wanted person by the OSP in February 2025 after failing to appear for questioning in multiple high-profile corruption investigations. He was later placed on INTERPOL’s Red Notice list in mid-2025 after not returning to Ghana as required by authorities.
In December 2025, Ghana’s Attorney-General confirmed that a formal extradition request for Ofori-Atta and an alleged associate had been transmitted to U.S. authorities to answer corruption-related charges in Ghana. These extradition proceedings are ongoing, with government officials indicating that all procedural requirements have been fulfilled and that the U.S. Department of Justice is continuing its review.
Ofori-Atta’s lawyers have maintained that he is fully cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities and that his stay in the country has been driven by legitimate medical needs. They emphasise that legal avenues are being pursued to resolve his status and that he remains committed to complying with relevant laws.
“The Public is therefore advised to note that Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta as a law-abiding person is fully cooperating with ICE to have this issue resolved” the statement read
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