Ofori-Atta Held by U.S. Immigration Authorities Over Status Concerns
By Adwoa Nyarko Asiamah | January 8, 2026
Former Finance Minister of Ghana, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over issues relating to his immigration status, his lawyers have confirmed.
In a public statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, Ghanaian law firm Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners (MPOBB) clarified that the detention is administrative and procedural, not criminal.
According to the firm, ICE’s action is connected to questions surrounding Mr Ofori-Atta’s continued stay in the United States while his immigration documentation is under review. The lawyers explained that the former minister currently has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a lawful process under U.S. immigration regulations that allows an individual to remain in the country beyond the expiration of an initial visa while an application is being considered.
The statement indicated that Mr Ofori-Atta’s U.S.-based legal team is in active engagement with ICE and is confident the matter will be resolved within a short time.
“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 U.S. legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” the statement said.
The law firm further stressed that Mr Ofori-Atta is fully cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities and remains a law-abiding individual. Members of the public were urged to remain calm, as the issue is not criminal in nature and is being addressed through appropriate legal channels.
“Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorises a person to remain in the U.S. legally beyond the period of validity of their visa. This method of change of status is common under U.S. law,” the lawyers added.
The ICE detention comes amid mounting legal challenges for the former finance minister in Ghana. Mr Ofori-Atta is among eight individuals currently facing 78 counts of alleged corruption linked to the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The alleged offences reportedly include breaches of Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
In December 2025, the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, disclosed that an extradition request for Mr Ofori-Atta had been transmitted to authorities in the United States.
Legal observers say developments in the U.S. immigration process could have implications for the extradition proceedings, depending on how quickly the status issue is resolved.
