US deports Daniel Ogama Adongo, first Kenyan-born NFL player, under Laken Riley Act
Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Daniel Ogama Adongo on June 20 after he overstayed a visa that expired in 2016 and accumulated multiple criminal charges in Indiana.
The deportation
Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported Daniel Ogama Adongo, 37, the first Kenyan-born player to appear in the NFL, the agency announced on Monday. Adongo was removed from the United States on June 20 after an immigration judge ordered his removal in March. He had been held at Miami Correctional Facility before deportation. ICE said Adongo overstayed his visa in 2016, the same year his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts ended.
This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is now safer since he's been removed. Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes.
Criminal record
Indiana police arrested Adongo on multiple occasions over the past nine years, according to ICE. The charges included felony intimidation, battery, and disorderly conduct, though those charges were dismissed and he was not convicted on them. In 2020, he was convicted of criminal mischief with damage, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to 364 days in jail. He served six months in county jail. His most recent criminal charges were filed under the Laken Riley Act, a law signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025 that mandates detention without bail for certain undocumented immigrants accused of specific crimes.
Mental health claims
Lawyers for Adongo have previously linked his arrests to mental illness, according to the Indianapolis Star. They said he was diagnosed as "acutely psychotic with traumatic brain injury." In 2017, Adongo spent time at a psychiatric facility after a judge ruled him incompetent following a psychiatric examination. His family has said they believe he developed mental health issues from playing contact sports.
NFL career
Adongo transitioned from rugby to American football and was signed by the Indianapolis Colts in 2013, becoming the first Kenyan to play in the NFL. He appeared in five games across two seasons as a linebacker before his career ended in 2015. His visa expired the following year.
Broader immigration context
The deportation comes amid a surge in immigration arrests in the United States. Combined arrests by ICE and Customs and Border Protection exceeded 43,000 in June, the highest monthly figure since Trump began his second presidency in January 2025.
