Ken Ofori Atta’s American visa was revoked upon request from Attorney General
Revocation connected to extradition efforts, though the U.S. government
Ghana’s Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has publicly stated that the United States did not detain Ken Ofori-Atta simply for overstaying a visa, but that his U.S. visa was formally revoked by American authorities. The AG stressed that the visa was not expired and that revocation — not a routine immigration overstay — led to the loss of his legal status in the U.S.
According to the Attorney-General, speaking on News File on Joy News, the visa revocation was linked to ongoing engagement between Ghanaian authorities and U.S. counterparts in the context of an extradition request related to investigations in Ghana (e.g., matters tied to the Office of the Special Prosecutor). The AG implied that sustained communication and requests from his office factored into the U.S. decision to revoke the visa.
Reports vary slightly on timing, with some officials saying the revocation occurred in June 2025 and others in July 2025, but all sources agree the revocation happened before his recent detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The U.S. visa was revoked by American authorities, not simply expired.
This revocation was cited as the reason Ofori-Atta lost his lawful status and was later detained by ICE.
