Ghana’s embattled former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, is set to appear before a U.S immigration court today over his visa status following his arrest and detention on 6 January 2026 in Washington, D.C., by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to reports, ICE has reportedly determined that Mr Ofori-Atta no longer has lawful status to remain in the United States, a development many believe could help expedite Ghana’s extradition process of the former Minister to Ghana.

Ken Ofori-Atta left Ghana for the United States on January 4, 2025, according to investigative reporting detailing his departure timeline and visa use. As of today, January 8, 2026, that places his time in the U.S. at approximately 1 year and 4 days, following which he has been detained.

Deputy Attorney General, Dr Srem-Sai, clarified a widely reported narrative about the circumstances surrounding Ghana’s Former Finance Minister’s arrest and detainment by immigration authorities in the United States (US).

On January 7, Ken Ofori-Atta’s lawyers, Menka-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline and Partners issued a statement confirming their client's arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over his immigration status.

While it was widely reported that he had been detained for overstaying his visa term, the Attorney General’s Department has clarified that his visa was revoked in June last year and he was given up to November 29 to leave the USA; however, he ignored the order, leading to his detention by ICE.

“ICE will not come for you unless you have visa issues; that is what has happened. In June 2025, his visa was revoked; it’s not an expiration of the Visa. The information we have is that his visa was revoked. So he has been living in America without a visa,” he said on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, January 10.

According to reports, a US visa can be revoked if the holder becomes ineligible for it. This can happen if they violate their status, commit fraud, or otherwise fall under a ground of inadmissibility.

Dr Srem-Sai also mentioned that Ghanaian authorities collaborated with the US law enforcement agencies on Ken’s arrest.

“We are keenly involved in this matter. We collaborate with law enforcement agencies in this matter,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, January 10.

Also, speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, January 10, Attorney General, Dr Ayine explained that although Mr Ofori-Atta had initially been permitted to remain in the United States until November 29, he failed to depart within the stipulated period.

According to him, the revocation of the visa was intentional and tied to ongoing investigations, not standard immigration enforcement.

This is not simply an immigration issue. His visa did not expire; it was revoked. I state this on authority,” Dr Ayine said, adding that the visa was due to run until February before it was withdrawn.

While his lawyers didn’t explicitly state whether he had overstayed his visa time, they noted that “Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorises a person to stay in the US legally past the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common.”

This comes amid a legal tussle involving Ofori-Atta. The Special Prosecutor, for about eight months, has been making efforts to bring him to Ghana to face the law over some corruption-related issues.

Ofori-Atta, who served as Ghana’s Finance Minister from 2017 to 2023, steered fiscal policy during the COVID-19 pandemic, debt restructuring efforts and IMF negotiations.

His extended stay in the U.S. has coincided with ongoing legal proceedings in Ghana, including corruption-related charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in November 2025.

A few days after his arrest, the Embassy of Ghana in Washington proposed a meeting with him, but he declined.

The Embassy reported this in a formal statement shared by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr Srem-Sai, on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Sunday, January 11.

According to the Ghanaian Ambassador, Victor Emmanuel Smith, his outfit requested access to Mr Ofori-Atta after confirming his arrest and detention over his immigration status.

Their request for access to him was “to provide consular assistance in line with established diplomatic and international protocols”.

However, “The Embassy was informed by the facility that the detainee declined to engage with consular officials at that time without his lawyers present”.

However, “The Embassy of Ghana remains in contact with the appropriate United States authorities and will continue to follow the matter closely to ensure that Mr. Ofori Atta's rights are totally respected.”

Meanwhile, investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has shed more light on the arrest and detention of Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Speaking during an interview on TV3’s Key Points program on January 10, Manasseh revealed that Ofori-Atta’s arrest was a targeted operation by ICE and wasn’t part of a general swoop.

He mentioned that witnesses present at the scene claim that Mr Ofori-Atta was arrested right after he exited his residence, a luxury apartment complex in Washington DC, known as Westlight Apartments, located at 1111 24th Street, on the morning of Tuesday, January 6.

“This wasn’t like those organised raids by ICE in specific places. They got in specifically for him. As soon as he emerged from the entrance of the building, they moved in, surrounded him, got him into a car and drove him away,” Mr Azure said on January 10.