- Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- He is cooperating fully with U.S. authorities while his legal team works to resolve his immigration status
- Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a routine immigration process
Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over matters related to his immigration status, his lawyers have confirmed.
In a statement, his legal team said he is fully cooperating with ICE while they work with U.S. authorities to resolve the issue.
They highlighted that Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status—a legal process that allows individuals to remain in the United States beyond the validity of their initial visa. His lawyers described this as a routine immigration procedure they expect to be concluded shortly.
The detention comes amid ongoing health concerns that have kept the former minister in the U.S. since January 2025. He has been receiving treatment for prostate cancer and previously underwent a radical prostatectomy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, earlier this year.
Ofori-Atta has also been managing post-COVID Multi-System Inflammatory Response Syndrome, diagnosed in 2021, which requires continued medical supervision.
As Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, he oversaw fiscal policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, managed debt restructuring efforts, and led negotiations with the IMF.
His prolonged stay in the United States coincides with ongoing legal proceedings in Ghana, including corruption-related charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in November 2025, currently at the case-management stage.
His legal team stressed that Ofori-Atta remains law-abiding, is cooperating fully with U.S. authorities to regularize his status, and continues to focus on his recovery.
