Daniel Adongo deported after visa overstay, ICE says
ICE says former Colts linebacker Daniel Adongo was removed to Kenya after a visa overstay, an immigration order and a criminal record.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
Daniel Adongo deported from the United States is the latest turn in the former Indianapolis Colts linebacker's unusual path from Kenyan rugby player to NFL roster member, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
ICE said Adongo, a native of Kenya, was removed from the country on June 20 after a Department of Justice immigration judge ordered him deported in March, Fox News reported. The agency said the former NFL player had stayed in the U.S. after his visa expired in 2016.
The removal was announced by ICE this week, according to TMZ and Fox News. The reports did not include a response from Adongo.
Why was Daniel Adongo deported?
ICE said Adongo was deported after overstaying his visa and having a criminal record. According to the agency, he was also subject to mandatory detention under the Laken Riley Act.
The Laken Riley Act requires detention for certain non-U.S. citizens accused or convicted of specified crimes, according to ICE's account cited by Fox News. ICE said Adongo fell under that requirement.
Authorities said Adongo had been arrested several times over the past decade. ICE listed arrests for felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct, according to Fox News.
ICE also said Adongo was convicted in 2020 of criminal mischief causing damage and received a one-year jail sentence. The agency did not provide additional case details in the accounts reported by TMZ and Fox News.
Douglas Thompson, ICE Chicago's assistant field office director, described Adongo as a public-safety threat in a statement reported by Fox News.
"This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he's been removed," Thompson said. "Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes."
Who is Daniel Adongo?
Adongo reached the NFL by a route few players take. According to TMZ, he came to the United States as a rugby player from Kenya before switching to American football.
He signed with the Indianapolis Colts and was with the team during the 2013 through 2015 seasons, TMZ reported. His NFL career came after his rugby background drew attention, turning him into one of the more unconventional athletes to enter pro football at the time.
ICE said the deportation followed the immigration judge's order from March. The agency's announcement closes the U.S. immigration case it described against Adongo, who has now been removed from the country.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.