A United States (U.S.) immigration court is expected to hear the residency bid of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, as well as Ghana’s efforts to secure his return to face criminal charges, on Monday, June 15. The hearing is expected to be a virtual session before Judge David A. Gardey at the Annandale Immigration Court in Virginia at 1:00 pm.

Ofori-Atta had been in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention since January 2026 over issues related to his immigration status. His release follows confirmation by his legal team that he had reunited with his family after leaving custody.

Earlier, the US judge who presided over the immigration hearing of Ghana’s former Finance Minister declined his bail application, citing an extradition request from Ghanaian authorities.

Mr Ofori-Atta was tried on Tuesday, January 20, in a private hearing following a request for privacy by his lawyers.

He had been in detention since his arrest on 6 January by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Consequently, his lawyers requested bail so that he could be released while his case is pending. However, this was rejected by the government lawyers over his extradition links, though the judge, David A. Gardey, didn’t make any final decision on the extradition but noted that no documents were shown in court to prove that an extradition request had actually been submitted.

“The court cannot act on assertions without proof,” the judge indicated, directing the federal government to file any evidence of an extradition request on or before February 19, 2026.

The case has been adjourned to Thursday, April 27, at 1 pm, where the tribunal is expected to hear both the bail application and any documents the government may submit. At the time, Mr Ofori-Atta had to remain in ICE detention.

When his detention was first announced

His detention was first announced on January 7 by his Ghanaian legal representatives, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners (MPOBB), who said he had been taken into custody a day earlier over concerns about his immigration status.

“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of January 6, 2026, detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States,” the firm said in a public notice signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo, Esq.

According to the lawyers, Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a legal process that allows individuals to remain in the US beyond the validity of their visa.

“Under US law, a change of status by this method is common,” the statement added, stressing that the former minister is “a law-abiding person” and is fully cooperating with ICE.

Official records from the US Department of Homeland Security indicate that Mr Ofori-Atta is currently being held at the Caroline Detention Facility in Bowling Green, Virginia.

The development has attracted attention in Ghana, especially given Mr Ofori-Atta’s recent legal and medical history.

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.