Former Syracuse Basketball Player John Bol Ajak Agrees to Voluntary Deportation to Sudan
Former Syracuse basketball player John Bol Ajak is facing deportation to Sudan after being in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for over a month. The 26-year-old, originally from Natinga, South Sudan, agreed to a voluntary deportation order during a virtual hearing with Immigration Judge Adam G. Panopoulos. Ajak overstayed his visa, which expired in 2023 after he graduated from Syracuse University. Despite having 60 days to leave the country, he remained in Syracuse.
A voluntary departure allows a noncitizen to leave the U.S. at their own expense within a specific timeframe to avoid a deportation order. This option may also enable the individual to apply for a visa to return to the U.S. from their home country. Ajak, currently held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania, expressed his desire to leave the country as soon as possible during the hearing. He stated that he never wants to return to the U.S. if this is how he has to leave.
Ajak, who represented himself during the hearing and declined legal representation, mentioned his intention to go back to Pawuoi Payam in Twic East County, South Sudan, where his parents and most of his family reside. Despite facing multiple arrests since December for various charges, including resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, Ajak emphasized that he does not fear for his safety in South Sudan. He had been living with a relative before being taken into ICE custody on Feb. 18 after being released from jail on pretrial release.
The 6-foot-10 backup center played for Syracuse from 2020-23 under coach Jim Boeheim and earned his undergraduate degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School in December 2023. Although he started graduate studies, he did not complete them. Ajak came to the U.S. from Kenya in 2014 to pursue educational and basketball opportunities in Pennsylvania. The exact date of his deportation remains unclear at this time.
In conclusion, former Syracuse basketball player John Bol Ajak is set to be deported to Sudan after agreeing to a voluntary deportation order following a virtual hearing with an immigration judge. Despite his ties to the U.S. through his education and basketball career, Ajak expressed his desire to return to his family in South Sudan and emphasized his willingness to leave the country promptly.