Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. arrested by ICE, soon to be deported to Mexico.

Content & Photo Credit-Dan Rafael.

Dept. of Homeland Security claims he's 'an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel'

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Tuesday in Studio City, California, and is jailed in Los Angeles pending deportation to his home country of Mexico.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced his arrest on Thursday and that it is processing him for “expedited removal from the United States. 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.”

Former WBC middleweight titleholder Chavez, 39, the son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., who is revered as the greatest Mexican boxer of all time, was arrested three days after a listless showing for the first eight rounds of a one-sided 10-round decision loss to Jake Paul in a cruiserweight fight that headlined a pay-per-view card on Saturday night at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Chavez (54-7-1, 34 KOs), who was 13 years past his best win against Andy Lee in 2012, came on strong in the final two rounds but lost decisively to Paul, 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93. Chavez, who has had numerous legal and personal problems, was boxing at the heaviest weight of his career (198½ pounds) and in only his fourth fight since 2020.

Chavez's attorney, Michael Goldstein, told the Associated Press that Chavez was “picked up by a large number of federal agents while he was riding a scooter in front of his home in Studio City. The current allegations are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community.”

Goldstein added that he did not know where Chavez was being detained as of Thursday morning, but said they were due in court Monday related to gun possession charges from last year and were to provide an update on his progress in a substance abuse program.

According to DHS, Chavez entered the United States legally in August 2023 with a B2 tourist visa valid until February 2024. Chavez has been living in the U.S. with the expired visa since.

According to DHS, Chavez is “an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel,” which is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.

DHS said in its announcement that on April 2, 2024, Chavez filed an application for permanent resident status based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen (Frida Munoz), who, according to DHS, is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with Edgar Guzman Lopez, the now-deceased son of the convicted and imprisoned cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

DHS said Chavez made “multiple fraudulent statements on his application” to become a lawful permanent resident and he was “determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025.”

“This Sinaloa Cartel affiliate with an active arrest warrant for trafficking guns, ammunition, and explosives was arrested by ICE,” said Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs. “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. … Our message to any cartel affiliates in the U.S. is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences.”

DHS outlined Chavez’s previous legal issues, including: A DUI conviction in Los Angles in 2021 for which he was sentenced to 13 days in jail and 36 months of probation. A 2023 arrest warrant issued for him for involvement in organized crime “for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes, in the modality of those who participate in clandestinely bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, explosives into the country; and those who manufacture weapons, ammunition, cartridges, and explosives without the corresponding permit.” A Jan. 7, 2024 arrest in Los Angeles for illegal possession of an assault weapon. ###