Daniel Ogama Adongo, the first NFL player born in Kenya, was deported from the United States after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) determined that he remained in the country after his visa expired and accumulated a criminal record in recent years, the federal agency reported.

The expulsion of the former Indianapolis Colts linebacker took place last Monday, as detailed by ICE in an official statement. The agency noted that Adongo had remained in US territory since 2016 without immigration authorization, once the permit with which he had entered the country while developing his sports career expired.

The case of the former player occurs in a context of increased immigration actions in the United States, where authorities reported more than 43,000 arrests during June between operations carried out by ICE and the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP), the highest number recorded since the beginning of Donald Trump's second presidential term in January 2025.

Adongo, 36, played five games in the NFL, all with the Indianapolis franchise between the 2013 and 2015 seasons.

ICE pointed out criminal records and irregular stay

In its statement, the federal agency indicated that the former athlete was detained on several occasions by Indiana state authorities during the last nine years.

According to official information, these arrests were related to accusations of serious intimidation, assault and disorderly conduct. In addition, ICE recalled that in 2020 he received a sentence of close to one year in prison for damage to private property.

Authorities also reported that the most recent charges against Adongo were filed under the so-called Laken Riley law.

This legislation establishes mandatory detention, without the possibility of release on bail, for certain immigrants in an irregular situation accused of certain crimes.

The agency maintained that the combination between the expiration of the visa and the judicial record led to the execution of the deportation process.

Authorities defend the measure

After confirming the former player's departure from the country, the assistant director of the ICE office in Chicago, Douglas Thompson, defended the agency's actions and stated that the community will be safer after the expulsion.

"This dangerous individual was clearly a threat to the community, which is safer since his removal. All those who violate immigration law will be held accountable, including former professional athletes," Thompson stated.

Adongo became the first Kenyan-born footballer to play in regular season games in the NFL, where he was a member of the Colts squad between 2013 and 2015.

After finishing his sports career, he remained in the United States beyond the expiration of his immigration authorization, a situation that, according to ICE, culminated in his deportation this week amid the tightening of immigration policies implemented during the current US administration.