Biography
Julio Cesar Irungaray is a 56-year-old longtime Salt Lake City resident, father, and community activist, originally from Mexico, who had lived in Utah for more than 35 years. On June 24, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained him outside his home as he returned from his night job, and he was placed in deportation proceedings while he was appealing an earlier removal order. His family said he has diabetes and feared for his safety in detention; roughly 90 supporters rallied for him the following evening, with more demonstrations planned. The Department of Homeland Security said he had prior convictions for driving under the influence and had entered the country in 1991.
He was deported to Guadalajara, Mexico, roughly four to five days after his June 24, 2026 detention, and is reported living in Durango; he is no longer in United States custody.
Portrait provenance
Julio Irungaray Sr., cropped from a family photograph with his daughter published in the Justice for Julio family campaign organized by Chantal Irungaray. Identity placement is corroborated by KSL reporting, which explicitly identifies father and daughter in a displayed family photograph. Original photographer and photograph date unspecified. Original-pixel crop retains his full hair and face; no resizing, retouching or generated details. The photograph is not of his son Julio Irungaray Jr.
