Ken Ofori-Atta detained by ICE in the US over immigration status

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Ghana’s former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta at the Caroline Detention Facility, over questions surrounding his current immigration status in the United States, where he travelled to seek medical care.

The development was confirmed in a statement signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo Esq. on Wednesday, 7 January 2026.

According to the statement, the detention occurred on Tuesday, with Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal representatives in the United States already engaging ICE officials to address the matter.

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“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) yesterday detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States,” the statement said.

Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo explained that the former finance minister has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a legal process that permits an individual to remain in the United States beyond the validity period of a visa while an application is under review.

“Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorises a person to remain in the United States legally beyond the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common,” the statement noted.

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The statement further emphasised that Mr Ofori-Atta is fully cooperating with US immigration authorities and that his legal team expects the issue to be resolved without delay.

“His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo added.

Members of the public were urged not to read undue meaning into the development, with assurances that the former minister has acted within the law.

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“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 concluded.

The detention comes amid an extradition request filed by Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and Mr Ernest Darko Akore, a former Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Finance.

According to Dr Ayine, the extradition request was transmitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 10 December 2025 for onward submission to the United States Department of Justice.

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Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and seven others are currently facing a total of seventy-eight (78) charges.