Former NFL Football Player Daniel Adongo Deported by ICE
Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Daniel Adongo has been deported from the United States by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after spending several months in federal detention, according to a post from Department of Homeland Security.
Adongo, a 37-year-old native of Kenya, was removed from the country on June 20 by ICE officers in Chicago after being held at the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana. The facility, which has been nicknamed the “Speedway Slammer” by the Trump administration, is one of the largest immigration detention centers in the Midwest and has the capacity to house approximately 1,000 detainees.
Adongo’s detention reportedly lasted several months before immigration authorities completed his removal from the United States.
Before pursuing football, Adongo built a successful rugby career in Kenya. Despite having no prior football experience, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013 through the NFL’s International Player Pathway-style development efforts after impressing scouts with his elite athleticism.
The former linebacker spent time developing with the Colts before appearing in regular-season games during the 2015 season. Although his NFL career was brief, Adongo became one of the league’s more remarkable international success stories after making the transition from rugby to professional football.
His football journey eventually included stints in other professional leagues, but his career never reached the heights many envisioned when he first arrived in Indianapolis as a raw but gifted prospect.
The circumstances surrounding Adongo’s immigration case have not been fully disclosed publicly, but ICE officials emphasized that his deportation followed federal immigration enforcement procedures. His removal marks the end of a unique chapter for one of the NFL’s most recognizable international projects, as Adongo has now returned to his native Kenya following his deportation from the United States.
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