The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed that Ghana’s former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, overstayed his visa and is currently in violation of US immigration law, describing him as an “illegal alien” subject to possible deportation.
According to ICE, Ofori-Atta entered the United States on May 28, 2025, on a visitor’s visa that expired on November 27, 2025. An ICE spokesperson stated that by remaining in the country beyond the permitted period, the former finance minister violated US immigration regulations.
“Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta is an illegal alien from Ghana who is facing corruption and corruption-related charges in his home country. He entered the United States on a visitor’s visa with an expiration date of Nov. 27, 2025, and overstayed his permitted admission,” the ICE spokesperson said.
ICE further emphasised that overstaying a visa constitutes a breach of immigration law and may result in deportation. The agency added that Ofori-Atta will remain in custody while due process is followed.
Ofori-Atta was detained by ICE on January 7, 2026. His legal representatives indicated that the detention arose from unresolved issues concerning the legality of his continued stay in the United States. Following the news of his arrest, Ofori-Atta declined to meet officials from Ghana’s embassy in the US without the presence of his lawyers, according to a statement issued by the embassy. Despite this, Ghana’s ambassador assured that efforts would be made to ensure his rights are fully respected.
Details surrounding the arrest suggest it was a targeted operation. Ghanaian investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni reported that Ofori-Atta was arrested at approximately 11:00 a.m. on January 6, 2026, as he exited his residence at the Westlight building, a high-end apartment complex located on 24th Street in Northwest Washington, DC. He reportedly lived there with his wife and son. The neighbourhood, known for housing influential figures, is situated about a 20-minute walk from the White House.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to extradite Ofori-Atta to Ghana to face prosecution over alleged corruption. The Office of the Special Prosecutor is leading the extradition process, as the former minister is under investigation in five separate corruption-related cases. He was formally charged on November 18 in connection with the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana scandal. The Special Prosecutor has also disclosed that an INTERPOL red notice issued against Ofori-Atta has been temporarily removed from public view pending the outcome of a legal challenge.
Questions have also been raised about Ofori-Atta’s health, as he was reportedly in the United States for medical reasons at the time of his arrest. Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, Victor Smith, confirmed that ICE arranged for medical personnel to assess him shortly after his detention and determined that he was medically fit to be held in an immigration detention facility.
As legal and diplomatic processes continue, Ofori-Atta remains in ICE custody while both US immigration proceedings and Ghana’s extradition efforts unfold.
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