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The men’s HBCU basketball player who was detained by ICE in early October has been released. The men’s HBCU basketball player who was detained by ICE in late September has been released. Mississippi Valley State basketball player Qingfang Pang was released on a $12,000 bail on Tuesday, according to a report by TJ Quinn of ESPN. However, Pang still faces a crucial hearing that leaves his potential deportation up in the air.
Per WJTV 12 News, Pang was being held at an ICE detention facility in Louisiana after being detained for overstaying his student visa. His attorney, Marcus Session, said Pang did not realize the visa had expired and was traveling to New York to visit a longtime family friend and sponsor when he was detained. Pang is now exploring the process of reinstating his student visa so he can return to Mississippi Valley State.
Session told ESPN that Pang’s detention was hard and that he’s looking to get him back at Mississippi Valley State as the basketball season looms.
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“It’s been hard. When one of your guys is going through something like this, the whole team feels it,” Davis told ESPN. “For me personally, it reminded me that what we do is bigger than basketball.”
ESPN also obtained a statement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about Pang’s detention.
“He legally entered the U.S. on November 17, 2023 on a temporary basis not to exceed September 5, 2024, but illegally overstayed. All of his claims will be heard by an immigration judge, and he will receive due process. This administration will not ignore the rule of law.”
Pang is a former three-star recruit who recently transferred to Mississippi Valley State. He held offers from several programs, including Michigan, Oregon, Rutgers and Seton Hall, before choosing to play for Mike Davis and the Delta Devils. The 6-foot-9 Pang is listed with United States/China nationality and is entering his first full season with the team.
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