ICE Arrests Mexican Boxer Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. 4 Days After He Lost Fight Against Jake Paul

Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday, days after his highly publicized fight against Jake Paul.

The Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday, July 3 that Chávez, a former middleweight champion, was arrested for entering the U.S. illegally and has an active warrant in Mexico accusing him of being involved in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Four days earlier, Chávez lost a match against Paul, 28, in front of a sold-out crowd in Anaheim, Calif., and amid the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts. Paul is widely known to be a supporter of President Trump and attended his second inauguration in January.

Chávez was arrested on Wednesday, July 2 in Studio City, Calif., the Department of Homeland Security said.

"Under President Trump, no one is above the law — including world-famous athletes," DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.

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The boxer was detained by ICE agents for overstaying his B2 tourist visa, which expired in February 2024, the Department of Homeland Security said. Per their release, Chávez was flagged to immigration services last year by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services, who described him as "an egregious public safety threat."

Chávez reportedly returned to the U.S. on Jan. 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 department said.

Chávez attempted to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status in April 2024 based on a marriage to a U.S. citizen. The Department of Homeland Security's statement claimed his wife is "connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman."

His application for permanent residency in the U.S. allegedly included multiple fraudulent statement and was officially considered to be in the country illegally and "removable" on June 27.

Paul beat Chávez on Saturday by scores of 99-91, 97-93 and 98-92