ICE detains boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for ties to organized crime and weapons trafficking. Chavez Jr. was admitted through the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
LOS ANGELES — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained prominent Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in Studio City, California, and is processing him for expedited removal after federal authorities linked him to organized crime and weapons trafficking.
Chavez, a Mexican citizen, entered the United States legally in August 2023 with a B2 tourist visa, which expired in February 2024. He is wanted in Mexico on an active arrest warrant for alleged involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives.
U.S. officials also believe Chavez is affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel, which is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
ICE arrested Chavez on July 2. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Chavez applied for lawful permanent resident status on April 2, 2024, based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. Authorities say his spouse has connections to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the late son of cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
On Dec. 17, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services referred Chavez to ICE as an “egregious public safety threat.” Despite this, a DHS law enforcement system entry under the Biden administration indicated Chavez was not an immigration enforcement priority.
On Jan. 4, 2025, Chavez was paroled into the country at the San Ysidro port of entry.
Federal officials determined on June 27, 2025, that Chavez was in the country illegally after finding multiple fraudulent statements on his residency application.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, “This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE. 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.”
Chavez’s criminal record includes a 2012 conviction for driving under the influence in California, a 2023 Mexican arrest warrant for organized crime and weapons trafficking, and a 2024 conviction in Los Angeles for illegal possession of an assault weapon and manufacturing or importing a short-barreled rifle.
The Sinaloa Cartel, which President Donald J. Trump designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on his first day in office, has been linked to violent crimes against Americans and the trafficking of fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Chavez remains in ICE custody as deportation proceedings continue.