In a significant move, ICE officers in Phoenix and Nogales deported former Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on August 18, following his arrest in Los Angeles on July 3. Chavez, a known figure in the boxing world, was identified as a criminal illegal alien with serious ties to organized crime and trafficking activities.
According to Ernesto M. Santacruz Jr., Director of the ERO Los Angeles Field Office, Chavez posed an egregious public safety threat. He stated, “Chavez is a known egregious public safety threat who had an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives, and should never have been allowed into the United States.”
Chavez entered the U.S. legally using a B2 tourist visa in August 2023, which was valid until February 2024. However, the Department of Homeland Security disclosed that Chavez’s presence in the country was under scrutiny due to his connections with the Sinaloa Cartel, a notorious organization designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
His immigration troubles deepened after he applied for Lawful Permanent Resident status in April 2024, which was based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen connected to the cartel through a prior relationship. Despite a referral to ICE regarding his status as a public safety threat from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in December 2024, Chavez was allowed reentry into the United States under the Biden administration on January 4, 2025.
However, by June 27, 2025, ICE officials concluded that Chavez was in the country illegally due to multiple fraudulent statements on his residency application. “It is shocking the previous administration flagged this criminal illegal alien as a public safety threat, but chose to not prioritize his removal,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin remarked.
Chavez, whose legal troubles date back years, was previously convicted for DUI in 2012 and faced numerous charges related to illegal possession and trafficking of firearms. His tumultuous past includes an arrest warrant issued in January 2023 for participation in organized crime related to weapons trafficking.
President Donald J. Trump had previously designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, emphasizing a strict approach toward combating cartel violence in the U.S. Following Chavez’s deportation, McLaughlin reiterated that no one, including world-famous athletes, is above the law.
The crackdown on cartel affiliates symbolizes the commitment to ensuring public safety in the U.S., as agencies continue to address the concerning issue of organized crime and its ramifications on communities across the country.
