Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over issues related to his immigration status, his lawyers have confirmed.

In a statement, his legal team said Mr. Ofori-Atta is fully cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities as they work to resolve the matter. They explained that he currently has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a standard legal process that allows an individual to lawfully remain in the United States beyond the duration of an initial visa. The lawyers described the process as routine and expressed confidence it would be resolved in due course.

The development comes against the backdrop of serious health challenges that have kept the former minister in the United States since January 2025. Mr. Ofori-Atta has been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer and previously had a radical prostatectomy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, following earlier medical assessments.

In addition, he continues to manage post-COVID Multi-System Inflammatory Response Syndrome, a condition diagnosed in 2021 that requires ongoing medical care and supervision.

Mr. Ofori-Atta served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, overseeing fiscal policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana’s debt restructuring programme, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

His prolonged stay in the United States has also coincided with ongoing legal proceedings in Ghana, including corruption-related charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in November 2025. Those cases are currently at the case-management stage.

His lawyers stressed that Mr. Ofori-Atta remains law-abiding and committed to resolving his immigration status while continuing his medical recovery under the care of U.S. health professionals.