Just days after losing his high-profile fight against Jake Paul, Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. is now facing deportation. ICE arrested the former champion in Studio City, California, on July 2, citing links to the Sinaloa cartel, an active arrest warrant in Mexico, and multiple criminal convictions.

According to The Guardian, U.S. immigration officials flagged Chávez Jr. as an “egregious public safety threat.” But he was still allowed back into the country earlier this year. Now, federal agents are calling his arrest a matter of national security and pointing fingers at past immigration enforcement decisions.

Julio César Chávez Jr. Is Facing Deportation Over Alleged Cartel Ties

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the boxer has an open arrest warrant in Mexico for his alleged involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives. ICE described Chávez Jr. in a press release as a “Sinaloa Cartel affiliate” and “public safety threat.”

As national outlets reported, Homeland Security agents took him into custody at his Studio City residence. DHS confirmed that Chávez Jr. is now being processed for expedited removal from the U.S.

He Entered on a Tourist Visa, But His Marriage Raised Red Flags

Chávez Jr. entered the U.S. in August 2023 with a legal B2 tourist visa that expired in February 2024. He applied for permanent residency in April 2024, citing his marriage to a U.S. citizen.

But that application raised suspicions. According to The Guardian, DHS flagged “multiple fraudulent statements” and noted that Chávez’s wife had previously been in a relationship with one of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s sons. Although she has not been charged with any crimes, her past connection drew scrutiny.

DHS Says Biden Officials Let Julio César Chávez Jr. Reenter the U.S.

The Department of Homeland Security says officials flagged Chávez Jr. as a public safety threat in December 2024. Yet, according to internal DHS records cited by The Guardian, the Biden administration “did not prioritize” his removal.

The boxer was reportedly allowed back into the U.S. on January 4 at the San Ysidro port of entry through a discretionary parole process.

“Under President Trump, no one is above the law, including world-famous athletes,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in the official release. “The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.”

This arrest isn’t Chávez Jr.’s first run-in with the law. According to the Los Angeles Times, he was arrested in January 2024 for illegal possession of an assault weapon and for manufacturing or importing a short-barreled rifle. TMZ added that officers found two AR-style ghost rifles in his possession.

That case led to pretrial diversion and residential treatment. But as Homeland Security revealed, Chávez has prior convictions, including a 2012 DUI charge in California that resulted in jail time and probation.

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