Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested Julio César Chávez Jr. and is processing for “expedited removal” from the United States.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced the move in a statement on Thursday, saying officials were working to deport Chávez back to Mexico, where he has an active arrest warrant for alleged ties to an organized crime ring. Chávez was taken into custody on Wednesday, just days after losing a boxing match to YouTuber-turned-professional fighter Jake Paul.
According to DHS, Chávez entered the U.S. legally in the summer of 2023 with a B2 tourist visa that expired in February 2024. Chávez — son of multi-division boxing champion Julio César Chávez —reportedly filed an application for lawful permanent resident status based on his marriage to U.S. citizen Frida Chávez. Officials claimed Chávez’s wife had ties to the Sinaloa cartel as she had a previous relationship with the son of the late Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
“On December 17, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made a referral to ICE that Chavez is an egregious public safety threat,” the statement continued. “However, an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated Chavez was not an immigration enforcement priority.”
DHS states Chávez was allowed re-entry into the U.S. in January 2025, weeks before Donald Trump took office. Officials accused the former WBC middleweight world champion of making fraudulent statements on his lawful permanent resident application and determined he was removable from the U.S. on June 27.
“This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE,” Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, said in a press release. “It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose to not prioritize his removal and let him leave and COME BACK into our country. Under President Trump, no one is above the law — including world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.”
According to DHS, Chávez was convicted in 2012 of driving under the influence of alcohol in Los Angeles County and was sentenced to 13 days in jail and 36 months of probation. In 2023, a district judge issued a warrant for the boxer’s arrest, “for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes.” In 2024, Chávez was arrested by the L.A. Police Department on charges of “illegal possession of any assault weapon and manufacture or import short barreled rifle.” He was convicted of those charges.
Chávez’s attorney, Michael A. Goldstein, responded to the boxer’s ICE arrest in a statement to NBC Los Angeles, saying the move appeared “to be nothing more than another headline to terrorize the Latin community.”
“On the case involving guns, a court granted mental health diversion, which Mr. Chávez was both eligible and suitable for under state statutes,” Goldstein said. “He is in full compliance with his diversion, has completed all requirements asked of him, and we expect the case to be dismissed under the diversion statutes.”