ICE Detains MAGA Influencer Who Claimed Only ‘Crooks’ Get Deported
“I like the guy,” the Brazilian influencer said of Trump.
A Brazilian influencer who had publicly supported President Donald Trump’s campaign against illegal immigration has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Brazilian Times reports that Junior Pena, whose real name is Eustácio da Silva Pena Jr., was apprehended by ICE in New Jersey on Saturday.
According to a friend who spoke to the newspaper, the influencer was arrested due to an administrative issue related to a postponed immigration hearing. This hearing had not been properly recorded in the system, which is why Pena’s name did not appear in the system.
The Brazilian influencer, who has 1.3 million followers on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram, where he shares his experience as an immigrant and testifies to “the reality of the United States,” had previously stated on his account that he “supported” the 79-year-old Trump, adding: “I admire this man.”
When Trump took office in January 2025 and promised an increased crackdown on immigration – primarily targeting Latin American immigrants during his first six months – Peña told his Brazilian followers that all those targeted were “criminals.”
“I wanted to tell you not to be afraid,” Peña said in one of his videos. “Many people are afraid. Many influencers are spreading fear among immigrants without any facts, any evidence, or any proof that such and such a person has been deported.”
His remarks echoed those of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who reiterated the Trump administration’s slogan that its anti-immigration campaign – which resulted in the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis and sparked anti-ICE protests across the country – aimed to apprehend “the worst criminals.”
However, data released by the Deportation Data Project shows that the percentage of detainees with criminal records dropped to approximately 28% by mid-October during these campaigns, which primarily targeted cities led by Democrats.
According to a December report citing Brazilian federal police, 2,268 Brazilian citizens were deported from the United States in 2025, the highest number recorded since this data began being collected in 2020.
Following his arrest on Saturday, Peña, who arrived in the United States in 2009, is being held at the Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey. His lawyer, Andrew Latarolo, is attempting to prevent his transfer to another state.
Peña’s arrest has sparked considerable controversy on social media. Some users claimed that the influencer had tarnished his reputation by supporting a president highly critical of immigrants, while others warned that he was promoting a vision of the “American Dream” that he himself had not achieved.
Meanwhile, friends of the influencer have launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover his legal fees.
“Every dollar will truly help give Junior the best possible chance to resolve his case and return to the community that has always supported him,” wrote Jorge Saboya, organizer of the GoFundMe campaign, which reached its $32,000 goal on Monday.
