Julio César Chávez Jr. Cartel Arrest – ICE News
Boxing Star Julio César Chávez Jr. Faces Deportation Amidst Legal Battles and Past Offenses
San Diego, CA – Julio César Chávez Jr., the celebrated former WBC middleweight champion and son of boxing legend Julio César Chávez, is facing potential deportation from the United states following a series of legal entanglements and a recent determination by U.S.immigration authorities. Chávez Jr. was allowed to reenter the contry on January 4th at the San Ysidro port of entry, but his presence was later deemed illegal after he was found to have made fraudulent statements on his request for Lawful Permanent Resident status.
According to a release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated that Chávez Jr. was not an immigration enforcement priority. However, this assessment appears to have been superseded by subsequent findings. On June 27th, Chávez Jr. was steadfast to be in the country illegally and removable.
Chávez Jr., widely known as “El Hijo de la Leyenda” or ”JR,” has had a storied but tumultuous career in the boxing world. He turned professional in 2003 and achieved his greatest success in 2011 by capturing the WBC middleweight title. He successfully defended the belt three times before losing it to Sergio Martínez in 2012. His career has been marked by significant challenges, including discipline issues, substance abuse, and difficulties making weight.A pivotal moment in his career’s decline was his lopsided unanimous decision loss to fellow Mexican star Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez in 2017.In recent years, Chávez Jr. has grappled with public legal and personal troubles. He was previously arrested on suspicion of weapons possession and afterward entered a residential rehabilitation facility. His struggles with addiction have been a recurring theme in public discourse, frequently enough playing out through social media disputes with his father, who, despite being a vocal critic, remains his most steadfast supporter.
Homeland Security records indicate that Chávez Jr. was convicted in 2012 for driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a 13-day jail sentence and 36 months of probation.
Chávez Jr.’s attorney, Stewart Goldstein, emphasized that his client is a public figure who has been living and working in the U.S. without incident in recent weeks. Goldstein pointed to Chávez Jr.’s recent public workouts as evidence that law enforcement had ample opportunity to engage with him if he were considered a public threat. “He has been focused on his own personal growth and mental health,” Goldstein stated. ”he is in full compliance with his mental health diversion and all court obligations. for this reason, we fully expect his only pending case to be dismissed as required by statute.”
Adding another layer to his legal complexities, a judge in Mexico issued an arrest warrant for Chávez Jr. in 2023 for organized crime, specifically for the purpose of committing crimes related to weapons trafficking and manufacturing. This warrant targeted individuals involved in the clandestine importation of weapons, ammunition, and explosives, as well as those manufacturing such items without proper permits.
Mexican authorities confirmed that federal prosecutors had issued an arrest warrant for Julio “C” in March 2023 for organized crime and arms trafficking. A statement from Mexico’s equivalent of the attorney general’s office indicated that U.S. officials had initiated the process of transferring him to face justice in Mexico.
The Chávez family issued a statement on Thursday afternoon, expressing their “total and unconditional support to Julio” and their “full confidence in his innocence.” The statement concluded, “We firmly believe that the proper course is to allow the competent authorities to carry out their work without external pressure or speculation.”