Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 6, 2026, over concerns regarding the status of his continued stay in the United States, according to a statement from his legal team.
In a public notice issued by his Ghana-based lawyers, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners (OBB), the detention is described as stemming from issues related to his immigration status. The statement, signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo Esq., emphasized that Ofori-Atta is “fully cooperating” with authorities and that his U.S. legal team is actively engaged with ICE to resolve the matter expeditiously.
The notice further explained that Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status—a common U.S. immigration procedure that allows individuals to extend or change their legal stay beyond an initial visa. “Under US law, a change of status by this method is common,” the statement read, adding that Ofori-Atta remains “a law-abiding person.”
Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, has been residing in the United States since early 2025 for medical treatment. Reports indicate he underwent surgery for prostate cancer in June 2025 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, following a diagnosis confirmed earlier that year. He has also been managing post-COVID complications, including Multi-System Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
The detention comes amid separate legal challenges in Ghana, where Ofori-Atta faces corruption-related charges from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), including allegations tied to contracts with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML). Ghana formally requested his extradition in December 2025, but sources indicate the current ICE action is unrelated to those proceedings and pertains solely to immigration matters.
