Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under a federal arrest warrant less than one week after his unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Chavez is currently being processed for expedited removal from the United States.
Federal officials confirmed that Chavez, a Mexican citizen, does have an active arrest warrant in Mexico. The case tied to the warrant accuses him of being involved in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
Chavez came to the U.S. legally in August 2023 on a B2 tourist visa, but that visa expired in February 2024. After that, he applied for a green card through his marriage to a U.S. citizen. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the woman he married had previously been in a relationship with the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the convicted head of the Sinaloa cartel.
Following the arrest, Chavez’s family issued a statement:
“We have full confidence in his innocence. We firmly believe that the proper course is to allow the competent authorities to carry out their work without external pressure or speculation.”
In December 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services flagged Chavez as a public safety risk and referred his case to ICE.
Chavez was permitted to reenter the U.S. in January 2025 under temporary parole. However, following what DHS described as “multiple fraudulent statements” made during his residency application process, authorities designated Chavez’s citizenship status as unlawful. On June 27, he was deemed removable.
Chavez, 39, is the son of Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez. After beginning his professional boxing career with a 46-0 record, Chavez has since gone 8-7. His loss to Jake Paul marked just his second fight since 2021.
Chavez has a very long history of legal issues, including multiple arrests for substance abuse and weapons charges.
