Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been arrested just four days after his loss to Jake Paul.
Chavez was taken into custody by ICE on Wednesday following alleged legal and immigration violations. He is also said to have links to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, which was recently branded a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” by President Donald Trump.
The Department of Homeland Security has indicated that the boxer, described as a “criminal illegal alien,” will be deported as he’s said to have entered the United States on a legal visa in August 2023, which expired in February 2024.
Julio had applied for permanent residency due to his marriage to an American citizen. However, DHS claims he has past connections to one of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s sons.
He also has an active arrest warrant in Mexico.
“Chavez is a Mexican citizen who has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives,” a statement from the DHS reads.
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DHS Says Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Is A “Public Safety Threat”
Chavez is said to have a criminal record in the U.S., including a 2012 conviction for DUI and a 2024 weapons charge regarding unregistered AR-style rifles.
The 39-year-old has also been referred to as “an egregious public safety threat. However, an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated Chavez was not an immigration enforcement priority.”
ICE cited several “fraudulent statements” in Chavez’s application for residency. Strangely, however, he was allowed to reenter the U.S. in January under parole, according to records.
Michael Goldstein, an attorney for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., has called the accusations “outrageous,” claiming they were made to “terrorize the community.”
Chavez is due to appear in court on previous weapons charges next week.
