The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detained Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a well-known Mexican boxer and illegal immigrant who is currently being processed for expedited removal from the United States. Chavez, a Mexican national, has an active arrest warrant in Mexico due to his alleged involvement in organized crime and the trafficking of firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
Entering the U.S. legally with a B2 tourist visa valid until February 2024, Chavez is reportedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, which is recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He was arrested by ICE in Studio City, California, on July 2, 2023.
On April 2, 2024, Chavez submitted an application for Lawful Permanent Resident status, citing his marriage to a U.S. citizen who has past connections to the Sinaloa Cartel through a previous relationship with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s now-deceased son. However, on December 17, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services referred Chavez to ICE as a significant public safety threat. Despite this referral, internal DHS records under the Biden administration classified Chavez as not a priority for immigration enforcement.
On January 4, 2025, Chavez was permitted to reenter the U.S., where he was paroled at the San Ysidro port of entry. Following several false statements made in his application for permanent residency, he was determined to be illegally present in the country and was slated for removal on June 27, 2025.
“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,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated. “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 history includes multiple arrests. On January 22, 2012, he was detained by the California Highway Patrol for DUI and driving without a license, resulting in a 13-day jail sentence and 36 months of probation after his conviction. More recently, on January 14, 2023, a District Judge issued an arrest warrant for him related to organized crime linked to weapon trafficking. Additionally, on January 7, 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department charged him with the illegal possession of an assault weapon, resulting in a conviction.
The Sinaloa Cartel, designated by President Donald Trump as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, has been implicated in various serious crimes, including the murder of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Nicholas Quets and extensive fentanyl trafficking into the U.S. The Trump administration emphasized a strong stance against cartel operations in the country.
