Another college basketball player has been taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in a worrying trend for the sport.
Qingfang Pang, a 6-foot-9 junior forward for Mississippi Valley State, was trying to fly from Jackson, Mississippi to New York City on September 29, according to his attorney Marcus Session (via FOS).
Pang, who attended high school in New York and has a visa sponsor in the city, was detained at the airport before his flight.
According to Session, Pang recently learned from the university that his student visa had recently expired and was traveling to meet his sponsor.
‘Mississippi Valley State University is aware of the situation involving one of our students and is deeply concerned for the student’s well-being,’ the school said in a statement to FOS.
‘University officials are closely monitoring the situation and are committed to providing appropriate support as circumstances develop.’
Mississippi Valley State basketball player Quingfang Pang has been detained by ICE
Pang, who played JUCO ball at Monroe University in New York, transferred to the school in the offseason. He was traveling to New York to speak with a visa sponsor when he was detained.
Pang is one of many college basketball players who were taken into ICE custody in recent months. At the time of publishing, he was the only Division-I player subjected to these measures.
According to the agency, he is being held at Richwood Correctional Center in Louisiana.
A Kentucky State women’s basketball player, Aminata Seck, was released on bond on Wednesday after being detained for two months.
In early September, Deng Deng – a basketball player at Southern Connecticut State University – was arrested by the agency as well. He was recently released.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told FOS that Pang legally entered the country in November of 2023 on a temporary status which ended on September 5, 2024.
‘He accepted voluntary departure and will remain in ICE custody pending removal,’ the spokesperson said.
Session is claiming that ICE made Pang sign the document for voluntary departure. He is requesting bond.
Pang transferred to Mississippi Valley State – a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) that competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) – this offseason.
Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker has agreed to inquire about Pang’s situation
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Previously, he played two seasons of JUCO ball at Monroe University in New York.
In a statement to the outlet, a Monroe spokesperson said that the school told Pang they would transfer his immigration records to his new team after receiving a request from MVSU.
‘We have stood ready to do so since last spring, but hadn’t received any such formal request until yesterday,’ the Monroe spokesperson said.
‘Any suggestion that Monroe failed to fulfill its responsibilities is unfounded. We wish Mr. Pang a speedy resolution to this matter.’
Prior to college, Pang played high school basketball at two institutions in the New York Metro area: Christ the King in Queens and St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey.
FOS is also reporting that multiple members of Congress have agreed to inquire further about Pang’s situation.
Among the members doing so is the senior Senator from Mississippi, Roger Wicker.
