ICE says former NFL player Daniel Adongo was deported after overstaying his visa, repeated arrests and a prison sentence tied to later charges.
ICE deported former NFL player Daniel Adongo after saying he overstayed his visa, faced multiple arrests and served prison time. The former Indianapolis Colts linebacker, who is from Kenya, was removed from the United States last month, according to the agency.
ICE said Adongo, 37, overstayed his visa in 2016, the year after his NFL career ended. In a statement released on Saturday, the agency said he was ordered to leave the country on March 23 and was removed on June 20. It also described him as a dangerous individual, a claim that fits the agency’s broader enforcement message but was not answered by Adongo in the material provided.
Douglas Thompson, an ICE Chicago assistant field office director, said immigration law applies the same way to everyone, including former professional athletes. He also said the community is safer now that Adongo has been removed. Adongo did not comment on the allegations, and it is not clear where he was deported.
Adongo’s path into American sports had once drawn attention for a very different reason. He was playing rugby when he made the switch to American football in 2013, despite never having played the sport before. For two years, he was a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts, making him a notable figure well beyond the usual circles that follow the league.
“ICE says former NFL player Daniel Adongo was deported after overstaying his visa, repeated arrests and a prison sentence tied to later charges.”
What happened after his football career was more troubled. ICE said he had been arrested multiple times over the past 10 years on charges that included felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct. The Indianapolis Star reported that he also spent time in a psychiatric hospital after his post-NFL problems deepened. His mother and lawyers were quoted as saying he suffered from mental illness and injuries, possibly linked to his time as an athlete.
The newspaper said that in 2017, after Adongo was charged with intimidation and criminal mischief, a judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he could stand trial. He was found incompetent and was sent to a psychiatric hospital. The trial was delayed several times, including after he did not pass another psychiatric examination. ICE later said he was convicted in 2020 of criminal mischief with damage and sentenced to 364 days in prison.
The agency said his more recent charges fell under the Laken Riley Act, which requires undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes to be held in prison while they await trial. President Donald Trump signed that law on January 29, 2025, early in his second term. ICE also said more than 40 Kenyans have been arrested by the agency, underscoring how enforcement cases can reach far beyond the headlines and into the lives of immigrants with very public pasts. For American readers, the case shows how visa enforcement, criminal charges and immigration law now intersect under a tougher federal crackdown.
Frequently asked questions
Why did ICE deport Daniel Adongo?
ICE said he overstayed his visa in 2016 and was ordered to leave the country on March 23. The agency said he was removed on June 20.
Who is Daniel Adongo?
Adongo is a former Indianapolis Colts linebacker from Kenya. He was notable for switching from rugby to American football in 2013.
What criminal history did ICE describe?
ICE said Adongo had been arrested multiple times over the past 10 years on charges including felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct. The agency also said he was convicted in 2020 of criminal mischief with damage and sentenced to 364 days in prison.
What happened after his football career ended?
The article says his post-NFL life became troubled, with multiple arrests and a psychiatric hospitalization. The Indianapolis Star reported he was found incompetent to stand trial in 2017 after a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.
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