Daniel Adongo, the former rugby star who became the first Kenyan to play in the NFL, was deported from the United States in June 2026 due to a visa overstay and multiple arrests, federal immigration authorities confirmed.

Born in Nairobi in 1989, Adongo played professional rugby union in South Africa before moving to the US in 2013. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an outside linebacker despite having no prior football experience. Adongo spent two seasons with the Colts, appearing in two games, before being cut in 2015 following domestic violence allegations. A December 2015 report by the Indianapolis Star noted police responded twice within three months to domestic violence calls at his home, which preceded the Colts' decision to release him.

His visa expired in 2016, but he remained in the US, according to a press statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The deportation followed a removal order signed by a federal judge in March 2026.

ICE Chicago’s assistant field office director, Douglas Thompson, described Adongo as "a dangerous individual" and said the community is now safer following his removal. The ICE statement also noted that Adongo faced criminal charges under the Laken Riley Act, which mandates detention without bond for undocumented immigrants accused of certain crimes.

Supporters of Adongo have expressed concern for his mental health, citing a petition that claimed doctors and social workers believe he may be living with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), an untreatable brain disease linked to repeated head impacts common among contact sport athletes. In 2020, Adongo’s father, Joe Adongo, spoke about his son's mental health challenges after videos surfaced on social media showing him disheveled and with multiple nasal piercings.

Adongo’s deportation is part of a broader campaign of mass expulsions of undocumented individuals pursued during Donald Trump’s second presidency.

Sources