By Pete Carvill
The boxer Julio C茅sar Ch谩vez Jr has been arrested by the US鈥檚 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) department and is currently awaiting deportation back to his native Mexico.
Ch谩vez, who fought Jake Paul only last week, was arrested in Studio City, California. According to the US鈥檚 Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ch谩vez has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organised crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
According to the Associated Press, Ch谩vez was arrested by 鈥榓 large number of federal agents鈥 while he was riding a scooter in front of a home where he resides in Studio City.
DHS also said that Ch谩vez is believed to an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, which has recently been designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the current administration. It is understood that Ch谩vez was arrested two days ago.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, said: 鈥淭his 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.鈥
She added: 鈥淯nder President Trump, no one is above the law鈥攊ncluding world-famous athletes. Our message to any cartel affiliates in the US is clear: We will find you and you will face consequences. The days of unchecked cartel violence are over.鈥
Also according to the DHS, Ch谩vez filed application for Lawful Permanent Resident status in April 2024. The department said that his application was based on his marriage to a US citizen connected with the Sinaloa Cartel.
It is understood that Ch谩vez is married to Frida Mu帽oz. She is the mother of a granddaughter of imprisoned Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin 鈥楨l Chapo鈥 Guzman and the former wife of Edgar Guzman, who died in 2008.
The DHS also pointed to a number of convictions that Ch谩vez has within the US. The first conviction was for driving under the influence in 2012, which resulted in 13 days in prison and three years鈥 probation.
More seriously, the DHS says that a judge in 2023 issued a warrant for Ch谩vez鈥檚 arrest in 2023 for multiple weapons charges relating to organised crime. A year after that arrest warrant was issued, Ch谩vez was convicted of other weapons charges in Los Angeles. It is not immediately known whether these 2024 convictions relate to the 2023 arrest warrant.
On December 17, 2024, US Citizenship and Immigration Services made a referral to ICE that Ch谩vez was an egregious public safety threat. However, DHS also claims that an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated Ch谩vez was not an immigration enforcement priority.
The DHS also claimed that Ch谩vez re-entered the US in January and was 鈥榩aroled鈥 into the country. It also says that he made 鈥榤ultiple fraudulent statements鈥 on his residency application. The order, it says, to remove him was made on 27 June.
The timing of Ch谩vez鈥檚 arrest raises questions. Given that the order to detain was made on 27 June, there has been no public explanation as to why Ch谩vez was not detained before his bout a day later against Jake Paul. There is also no public explanation as to why Ch谩vez, whose whereabouts have been prominent and public knowledge in the weeks leading up to the Jake Paul fight, was not arrested or detained at any earlier point.
It has also not been explained how Ch谩vez could be subject to deportation on the grounds that an arrest warrant has been issued.
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