Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over questions regarding the status of his stay in the country, his legal team has confirmed.
In a statement issued on the matter, his lawyers explained that Mr. Ofori-Atta is fully cooperating with ICE while discussions are ongoing to resolve the issue swiftly. According to the statement, the former minister has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a lawful immigration process that allows individuals to remain in the United States beyond the expiration of an initial visa.
His legal team emphasized that the process is routine under US immigration law and expressed confidence that the matter will be resolved expeditiously.
The development comes amid serious health challenges that have kept Mr. Ofori-Atta in the United States since January 2025. He has been receiving medical care after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, a diagnosis confirmed in March 2025 following MRI scans and a biopsy that showed signs of cancer progression.
On Friday, June 13, Mr. Ofori-Atta underwent a radical prostatectomy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Medical sources described the surgery as a critical intervention after tests revealed increased spread of cancer cells within the prostate. He had reportedly been under close medical observation for several weeks prior to the procedure.
In addition to the cancer diagnosis, the former finance minister has also been managing a post-COVID Multi-System Inflammatory Response Syndrome, a condition first diagnosed in February 2021, which has required ongoing medical supervision.
His legal team and family remain hopeful that both his immigration situation and medical recovery will be resolved without further complications.
