Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the former 160-pound champion and son of Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, got arrested by ICE on July 3, 2025. He's now facing deportation and criminal charges.
ICE nabbed Chavez Jr. right after he cashed his $750,000 check from his recent fight against Jake Paul in Anaheim, California. The Department of Homeland Security claims Chavez Jr. was in the country illegally and made false statements on his residency application.
The authorities didn't stop there. They've also accused Chavez Jr. of having ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, which Donald Trump labeled a foreign terrorist organization. On top of that, there's an outstanding arrest warrant for him in Mexico for organized crime and weapons trafficking charges.
Chavez Jr.'s legal troubles started brewing earlier. He had to appear in court on a Monday for a firearms possession charge from 2024. But things really heated up when ICE identified him as a serious threat to public safety.
The boxer's lawyer, Michael Goldstein, fired back at these accusations. He said:
"The current allegations are outrageous and simply another headline to terrorize the community."
Goldstein claims the US authorities are just trying to grab headlines with these charges.
Chavez Jr.'s recent US stay began on January 4, 2025, when he got parole at the San Ysidro border crossing to train in Southern California for his fight with Jake Paul. Originally, he was set to be deported on June 27, but that didn't happen. Instead, he stuck around for his June 28 bout.
Now, Chavez Jr. sits in ICE custody, waiting for a July 7 court date to find out when he'll be sent back to Mexico. It's a stark reminder that ICE detains foreigners in the US for crimes or irregular stays, no matter how famous or wealthy they might be.
