Boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. arrested over alleged cartel ties

Professional boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. has been arrested in Studio City and will be deported to Mexico.

Federal authorities allege that Chaávez tried to get permanent status based on his marriage to a woman associated with the now-dead son of imprisoned Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin `El Chapo' Guzman. 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel detained Chávez on Wednesday, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"Chávez is a Mexican citizen who has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives," according to a DHS statement.

According to the government, Chavez entered the U.S. legally in August of 2023, having obtained a B2 tourist visa that expired in February 2024.

"Chávez is also believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," according to the government statement, which said Chávez applied for Lawful Permanent Residence status on April 12, 2024, based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen.

In December of last year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services labeled Chávez "an egregious public safety threat" and referred the case to ICE.

"However, an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated Chávez was not an immigration enforcement priority," according to the DHS statement. "On January 4, 2025, the Biden administration allowed Chávez to reenter the country and paroled him into the country at the San Ysidro port of entry."

The government alleges that Chávez made "multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident."

"He was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27, 2025," according to a DHS statement.

Chávez fought Jake Paul on June 28, 2025, losing a unanimous decision at Honda Center in Anaheim.

Additional reporting by City News Service.