Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have arrested Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. over alleged cartel ties, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday. He is “being processed for expedited removal from the United States,” DHS said on social media.
He was arrested Wednesday in Studio City, California, the department said. Chávez, who recently lost a match to influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul, is a Mexican citizen and a former WBC middleweight world champion.
Chávez has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his alleged involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives, DHS said in a news release. Chávez is also allegedly believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa cartel, which the Trump administration designated a foreign terror organization in January, DHS said.
On June 27, authorities determined that Chávez had made fraudulent statements on a lawful permanent resident application, and was in the country illegally and could be removed. His arrest comes amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, including a lawsuit against Los Angeles’ “sanctuary city” policies.
Chávez legally entered the U.S. with a tourist visa in August 2023. That visa expired in February 2024, DHS said. In April 2024, he filed an application for lawful permanent resident status based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. That citizen, who was not named, also has a connection to the Sinaloa cartel, DHS said.
On Dec. 17, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told ICE that Chávez is an “egregious public safety threat.” Internal records from the Biden administration showed that Chávez was not an immigration enforcement priority, DHS said. On Jan. 4, Chávez was allowed to reenter the country through the San Ysidro port of entry on the Mexico border, DHS said.
Chávez has faced legal trouble in the U.S. in the past. In January 2012, he was arrested by the California Highway Patrol and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license, DHS said. He was convicted on the first charge and sentenced to 13 days in jail and three years’ probation.
In January 2023, an arrest warrant was issued for Chávez, alleging his involvement in organized crime. In January 2024, he was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department and charged with illegal possession of any assault weapon and manufacture or import of a short-barreled rifle, DHS said. ESPN reported in January 2024 that he unlawfully possessed two AR-style guns without serial numbers. Chávez was convicted and spent several days in jail, ESPN reported, before being released on a $50,000 bond on the condition he enter a residential treatment program.
Chávez’s attorney, Michael Goldstein, told The Associated Press that the current allegations “are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community.” Goldstein also told The AP they were due in court on Monday related to the 2024 gun possession charges.
Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
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