Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Daniel Adongo has been deported from the United States after spending months in federal immigration custody.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed that Adongo, 37, was removed from the country on June 20 after an immigration judge ordered his removal in March, according to USA TODAY.
ICE said Adongo overstayed his visa in 2016, one year after his NFL career ended, and had been held without bond.
"Those who violate immigration law are held equally accountable, including former professional athletes," ICE Chicago assistant field office director Douglas Thompson said in a statement.
Adongo, a native of Kenya, arrived in the NFL through an unusual path.
He was playing professional rugby in South Africa when the Colts signed him in 2013 despite having no previous experience playing American football. Indianapolis attempted to develop the 6-foot-5 athlete into a linebacker.
Adongo ultimately appeared in five games over three seasons before the Colts released him in December 2015.
His life after football included several encounters with law enforcement. According to ICE, Adongo was convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief in 2020. Other charges stemming from separate arrests were dismissed.
USA TODAY also reported that court records showed Adongo was twice found incompetent to stand trial. In one filing, a doctor described him as experiencing acute psychosis and raised the possibility of a traumatic brain injury.
Family members and social workers have previously expressed concern that injuries from Adongo's athletic career may have contributed to his condition, though no such connection has been established.
ICE did not immediately disclose where Adongo was deported.
