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On July 2, Julio César Chávez Jr. was detained by ICE in Studio City, California.
According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release, Chávez, a Mexican national, is being processed for expedited removal from the United States for being in the country illegally and for his alleged ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
DHS stated that Chávez entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa that expired in February 2024. Chávez applied for Permanent Resident status in April 2024 based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, but he was considered illegally present in the U.S.
Chávez was ordered removed on June 27, 2025, after making fraudulent statements on his application.
According to DHS, Chávez also has an active arrest warrant in Mexico that accuses the boxer of being involved in organized crime, specifically trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives. Chávez also has a 2012 DUI conviction in California, a 2023 arrest warrant for organized crime and a 2024 conviction for illegally possessing an assault rifle and manufactured/importing a short-barreled rifle.
DHS said that in January 2025, Chávez was allowed to reenter through the San Ysidro port of entry and was paroled into the U.S. under the Biden Administration.
“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,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “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.”
“The current allegations are outrageous and appear to be designed as a headline to terrorize the community,” Michael Goldstein, Chavez's lawyer, told the New York Times.
The Chávez family released the following statement:
The Chávez Family on the Legal Situation of Julio César Chávez Jr.
To all media outlets:
In light of recent events and statements made by U.S. authorities, the Chávez Family wishes to express the following:
Our family is deeply dismayed by the current situation. In these difficult times, we reaffirm our total and unconditional support for Julio. We have full confidence in his innocence and his character, as well as in the justice systems of both Mexico and the United States, in whom we place our hope that this situation will be resolved in accordance with the law and the truth.
Julio is, above all, a son, a father, and a human being who has faced many challenges in both his personal and professional life. As a family, we respectfully request that due legal process be ensured and that premature judgments which may harm his dignity and that of those around him be avoided.
We sincerely appreciate the media’s interest and coverage, but we appeal to your sensitivity and understanding in respecting our decision not to make any further statements at this time. We firmly believe that the appropriate course is to allow the competent authorities to carry out their work without external pressure or speculation.
We pray for a prompt resolution that clarifies the facts in Julio’s favor, and we reiterate our call for prudence, respect, and objectivity.
Sincerely,
The Chávez Family
Chávez's last fight was on June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, where he lost to Jake Paul by unanimous decision.
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