April 4, 2026
‘If This Is How I’m Leaving, I Never Want To Step Foot In This Country Again’: Former Syracuse Player Accepts Deportation To South Sudan
John Bol Ajak has been held in ICE custody for over a month in connection with an expired student visa.
A former Syracuse Orange men’s basketball player has agreed to be deported to South Sudan after spending more than a month in federal immigration custody, concluding a case centered on an expired student visa.
John Bol Ajak, 26, accepted a formal removal order during a virtual hearing on March 2 before an immigration judge in New Jersey.
Presented with the option to leave voluntarily or accept deportation, Ajak chose the latter, saying he wanted to exit the United States as soon as possible.
“If this is how I’m leaving, I never want to step foot in this country again,” Ajak said during the proceedings.
A voluntary departure would have required him to fund his own travel while preserving the possibility of returning legally in the future. By choosing deportation, the U.S. government will handle his removal, but the order may limit his ability to re-enter the country later.
During the hearing, Ajak told the court he intends to return to Pawuoi Payam in Twic East County, where much of his family resides. He said both of his parents are currently in Sudan and indicated he does not fear returning. Representing himself, Ajak declined legal counsel.
As reported by Syracuse, Ajak recounted his journey to the United States, explaining that he arrived in 2014 after leaving Kenya to pursue education and basketball opportunities. He later attended Syracuse University and graduated in December 2023 from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. He said he recently attempted to enroll in a graduate program there but acknowledged his F-1 visa had expired.
The judge noted that Ajak’s visa lapsed in 2023 following his graduation and that he had a 60-day grace period to depart the country. After he overstayed, the Department of Homeland Security determined that he was no longer in the U.S. legally.
Ajak was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Feb. 18 after being released on pretrial conditions tied to multiple arrests in Syracuse. Records show he faced charges including trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct across several incidents between December and February.
He was initially held in a federal facility in New York before being transferred to a detention center in Pennsylvania, where he remains.
Ajak played three seasons at Syracuse from 2020 to 2023 as a reserve center, contributing primarily on defense. Reflecting on his college decision, he said, “I came to Syracuse because I wanted to stay rooted and grounded in the African community.”
Born in South Sudan, Ajak fled civil war as an infant and spent years in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to the United States as a teenager. He told the court he had hoped to continue his education and eventually help other refugees find similar opportunities.
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