Authorities from the Department of Homeland Security made public on Thursday the apprehension of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a Mexican boxer, by ICE. He is reportedly facing deportation on allegations of being in the U.S. unlawfully, characterized as a fugitive from justice in Mexico. Mexican officials claim he has an outstanding arrest warrant due to his involvement in organized crime as an associate of the Sinaloa Cartel. Chavez is allegedly implicated in criminal activities such as the illegal trafficking of firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
According to information released by law enforcement, Chavez, aged 39, initially entered the U.S. legally in August of the year 2023, using a B2 tourist visa. This visa expired in February of the year 2024. Subsequently, in April of the year 2024, he applied for Lawful Permanent Resident status, citing his marriage to a U.S. citizen as the basis for his application. Officials have stated that Chavez’s spouse had connections to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the U.S. government has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, through a previous relationship with the now-deceased son of cartel leader Joaquin Guzman.
Information indicates that in December of the year 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services referred Chavez to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, classifying him as an “egregious public safety threat.” However, Chavez was subsequently permitted to reenter the country on January 4, 2025, based on records suggesting that the Biden Administration did not consider him a priority for immigration enforcement. Following a review of multiple alleged fraudulent statements on his application for Lawful Permanent Resident status, law enforcement determined that Chavez was in the U.S. unlawfully and subject to removal as of June 27.
Among the specific criminal accusations leveled against Chavez by U.S. law enforcement are allegations related to a January 2023 arrest warrant for “organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes,” in addition to a January 2024 arrest and conviction for “Illegal Possession of Any Assault Weapon and Manufacture or Import Short Barreled Rifle.” Prior to these incidents, Chavez was also arrested and convicted in 2012 on charges of DUI and driving without a license.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, the principle stands firm that no individual, irrespective of their status, is exempt from legal accountability; this includes even world-renowned athletes,” stated assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Our message to any individuals affiliated with cartels who may be present within the U.S. borders is unambiguous: We are committed to locating you, and you will be held responsible for your actions. The era of unchecked cartel violence is definitively concluded.”
Chavez Jr., son of the former three-division world boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez and older brother to Omar Chavez, previously held the WBC’s middleweight title from 2011 to 2012. He maintains a career record of 54 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw. His recent apprehension follows his participation in a match against Jake Paul at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, which resulted in a loss.
Chavez hails from Sinaloa, which is recognized as the central base of operations for the Sinaloa Cartel. This cartel has evolved into one of the most widely recognized and notorious criminal organizations in Mexico and has been officially designated as a terrorist organization by the governments of both the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. government has accused the Sinaloa Cartel of being directly responsible for the illegal trafficking of various narcotics, notably including fentanyl, across the Southern Border, as well as for perpetrating acts of kidnapping, torture, and murder against American citizens.
