Qingfang Pang, a junior power forward from China, was taken into custody on Sept. 29 while traveling to his visa sponsor in New York.
Qingfang Pang, a 6-foot-9 junior power forward on the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils, is in ICE custody at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana. Pang, who is from China and listed Queens, New York as his hometown on the school's official roster, was detained on Sept. 29 for overstaying his visa.
According to his Houston-based attorney, Marcus Session, Pang was taken into custody while trying to fly from Jackson, Mississippi, to New York, where he was headed to be with his visa sponsor, a family friend, to sort out the issue. Session told Front Office Sports that Pang had recently learned from the university that his student visa had expired.
Mississippi Valley State said in a statement that it is aware of the situation and is "deeply concerned for the student's well-being." The school added that university officials are closely monitoring the situation and are committed to providing appropriate support as circumstances develop.
Pang recently transferred to Mississippi Valley State from Monroe University in New York.