U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported Kenyan national Daniel Adongo last month, citing an overstayed visa and a history of arrests and incarceration, the agency confirmed Saturday.
Adongo, 37, played linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts for two seasons after switching from rugby in 2013. His NFL career ended in 2015, and he overstayed his visa the following year, according to immigration authorities.
ICE stated that Adongo was ordered removed on March 23 and physically deported on June 20. In a statement, Douglas Thompson, assistant field office director for ICE Chicago, described Adongo as a “dangerous individual” and emphasized that immigration laws apply equally to former professional athletes.
“This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he’s been removed,” Thompson said.
Adongo has not publicly commented on the allegations. His destination following deportation remains unclear.
According to the ICE statement, Adongo was arrested multiple times over the past decade for offenses including felony intimidation, battery, and disorderly conduct. His post-football life has been marked by significant mental health struggles; the Indianapolis Star reported he spent time in a psychiatric hospital.
Adongo’s mother and legal representatives have previously attributed his behavior to mental illness and potential injuries sustained during his athletic career. In 2017, following charges of intimidation and criminal mischief, a judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial. He was ruled incompetent and committed to a psychiatric facility. The case faced repeated delays due to subsequent failed competency evaluations.
In 2020, Adongo was convicted of criminal mischief with damage and sentenced to 364 days in prison, ICE noted.
The agency added that Adongo’s most recent charges fell under the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for theft or violent crimes pending trial. President Donald Trump signed the legislation into law on January 29, 2025, early in his second term. The law is named after Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student murdered in 2024 by a Venezuelan national.
Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicates that more than 40 Kenyan nationals have been arrested by ICE.
