Kenyan former NFL linebacker Daniel Ogama Adongo has been deported from the United States following visa violations and a criminal record, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced.
The 37-year-old, who played for the Indianapolis Colts, was removed on June 20 after an immigration judge ordered his deportation in March. Adongo had overstayed his visa since 2016, nearly a year after his NFL career ended, and remained in the US for almost a decade before his arrest.
ICE stated that Adongo was detained under the Laken Riley Act, legislation enacted last year mandating detention without bond for undocumented immigrants convicted of certain crimes. Court records show he was convicted in 2020 for criminal mischief causing damage and sentenced to 364 days in jail.
Additional arrests over the past decade in Indiana involved charges such as felony intimidation, battery, and disorderly conduct, although some were later dismissed.
ICE Chicago Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson commented, "This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he's been removed. Those who violate immigration laws are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes."
Adongo made history as the first Kenyan to compete in the National Football League after transitioning from professional rugby. He joined the Colts in 2013 without prior American football experience and played two seasons before his release in 2015, mainly contributing on special teams.
The Department of Homeland Security framed Adongo's deportation as part of broader efforts to enforce immigration laws, noting that nearly 70 percent of ICE arrests involve individuals charged or convicted of crimes in the US.
