Key Takeaways
- Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Daniel Adongo was deported from the U.S. to Kenya after overstaying a visa that expired in 2016 and accumulating multiple arrests and a 2020 criminal mischief conviction.
- ICE officials called Adongo a "dangerous individual" and said he was held under the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention for certain noncitizens accused or convicted of qualifying offenses.
- Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in the NFL after transitioning from a rugby career abroad, saw his post-football years marked by reported mental health struggles and a 2017 psychiatric commitment ruling.
Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Daniel Adongo has been deported from the United States after federal immigration authorities said he remained in the country years after his visa expired and accumulated a criminal record.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that Adongo, a native of Kenya, was removed from the U.S. on June 20 following a March ruling by a Department of Justice immigration judge who ordered his removal. The agency publicly announced the deportation this week.
According to ICE, Adongo overstayed a visa that expired in 2016, roughly a year after his NFL career came to an end. Before being deported, the 36-year-old was held at the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana while in ICE custody.
Federal officials said Adongo was subject to mandatory detention under the Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of certain non-U.S. citizens accused or convicted of qualifying offenses.
Authorities said Adongo was arrested several times over the past decade. ICE said his arrest history included allegations of felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct. The agency also noted that he was convicted in 2020 of criminal mischief resulting in property damage and sentenced to 364 days in jail.
"This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he's been removed," ICE Chicago Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson said in a statement (via Fox News). "Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes."
Adongo's path to professional football was far from traditional. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, he built a career as a rugby player in South Africa and New Zealand before switching to American football. He became the first Kenyan to play in the NFL after signing with the Colts in 2013 as part of the league's efforts to develop international talent.
Despite having no college football background, Adongo appeared in five games for Indianapolis over two seasons, primarily as an outside linebacker.
His time with the Colts ended in December 2015 when the team released him. ESPN previously reported that police were called to his Indianapolis home after a woman he lived with sent a text message to a friend asking for help. The friend contacted authorities, but when officers arrived, the woman declined medical treatment and was unable to explain why she had sent the message. Adongo was not at the residence when police responded.
In the years following his football career, Adongo's family said he struggled with mental health issues they believe developed during his time playing sports. In 2017, he was admitted to a psychiatric facility after a judge ruled he was incompetent following a psychiatric evaluation, according to the Indianapolis Star.
ICE said Adongo has now been returned to Kenya, bringing an end to a years-long immigration case that stemmed from his visa overstay and subsequent legal troubles.
