First Kenyan NFL player Daniel Adongo deported from US under Trump immigration crackdown

Former NFL player Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to compete in the league, was deported from the United States on June 20, 2026. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the removal of the 37-year-old former Indianapolis Colts linebacker followed a March 23, 2026, order from a Department of Justice immigration judge. Adongo's deportation was attributed to his overstaying a visa, which expired in 2016, and a criminal record.

Federal authorities stated that Adongo had remained in the U.S. unlawfully for nearly a decade after his visa expired, a year after his NFL career concluded. He was convicted of criminal mischief with damage in 2020, receiving a 364-day jail sentence. Adongo's detention was mandated under the Laken Riley Act, enacted under the Trump administration, which requires the detention without bond of undocumented individuals convicted of certain crimes. ICE officials in Chicago emphasized that Adongo's removal was part of ongoing immigration enforcement efforts, asserting that immigration laws apply universally, including to former professional athletes.