Victor Smith, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United States, says former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta travelled to the United Kingdom and returned to the US shortly before he was detained by immigration authorities.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, Mr Smith said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)viewed the matter as a high-profile case because of Mr Ofori-Atta’s status as a former Finance Minister.
“They view Ken Ofori-Atta’s case as a high-profile case, which they made very clear to me because he was an ex-Finance Minister,” he said.
He said the US authorities were also aware of discussions involving Ghana’s Attorney General, reinforcing the case’s sensitivity.
Mr Smith explained that under US immigration rules, visitors entering on a five-year B1/B2 visa are typically granted a six-month stay.
“If your visa expires, normally, they give you a six-month visa when you enter the US with a five-year B1, B2 visa,” he said.
He added that it is common for visitors in such situations to leave the country and return.
“People normally travel out and come back in,” he said.
The High Commissioner said the information available to him indicated that Mr Ofori-Atta followed that route.
“Information I had earlier on was that he travelled to the UK and came back into the US,” he said.
However, he said the former minister’s visa status became problematic later in the year.
“I was told that by November 29 or thereabout, his visa was no longer valid, and so it meant he was here illegally,” Mr Smith said.
He said ICE would not move in unless authorities were certain a person no longer had a valid immigration status.
“Before the ICE moves in, they are certain that you don’t have a visa in this country,” he said.
Mr Smith said there were indications that efforts were being made to regularise Mr Ofori-Atta’s stay.
“His status was he did not have a visa to be in this country, but also hearing from other people he was making, they were making attempts to, if you like, extend his stay or vary the visa to make him remain here until further notice,” he said.
He added that he was not aware how far that process had gone at the time of the arrest.
“I don’t know where that request has reached,” he said.
Mr Ofori-Atta has since been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement over questions surrounding the status of his stay in the country, according to a statement from his legal team.
The lawyers say he is cooperating fully with the authorities while discussions continue to resolve the matter.
They explained that he has a pending petition for adjustment of status, a process under US law that allows a person to remain legally in the country beyond the validity of an initial visa.
The case has drawn public attention in Ghana, not only because of Mr Ofori-Atta’s profile, but also amid reports that nearly 200 Ghanaians are facing similar immigration challenges in the United States.
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