Wayne Lumbasi
Former Kenyan NFL player Daniel Adongo has been deported from the United States after immigration authorities determined that he had remained in the country for years after his visa expired. The deportation brings an end to a lengthy legal and immigration case involving the former professional athlete, who made history as the first Kenyan to play in the National Football League.
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Adongo’s visa expired in 2016, a year after his NFL career came to an end. He remained in the United States without legal immigration status and was later detained while immigration proceedings were underway. A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered his removal in March 2026, and he was deported to Kenya on June 20.
ICE said Adongo had accumulated several criminal charges during his time in Indiana, including felony intimidation, battery, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. In 2020, he was convicted of criminal mischief and served a 364 day jail sentence. Authorities also stated that his most recent arrest fell under provisions of the Laken Riley Act, which requires the detention of certain undocumented immigrants accused of specified crimes.
Adongo rose to international prominence in 2013 when he signed with the Indianapolis Colts despite having no previous experience playing American football. Having previously represented Kenya in rugby before playing professionally in South Africa and New Zealand, he successfully transitioned to the NFL through the league’s international player development pathway. He appeared in five regular season games over two seasons before being released by the Colts in 2015.
His family has previously maintained that many of his legal troubles were linked to mental health challenges that emerged during and after his professional sporting career. Court records indicate that Adongo was declared mentally incompetent by a judge in 2017 and underwent psychiatric treatment before later returning to court proceedings.
Once celebrated as a trailblazer who opened the door for Kenyan athletes in American football, Daniel Adongo’s story has ultimately become one of sporting achievement overshadowed by years of legal, immigration and personal struggles, culminating in his return to Kenya after more than a decade in the United States.
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