A Brazilian social media influencer who built a massive following praising Donald Trump’s tough immigration policies is now sitting in ICE custody—an irony that’s lighting up the internet. Júnior Pena, a self-described MAGA supporter known for promoting the “American experience” to Latin American audiences, was detained over what sources say was a bureaucratic mix-up tied to his immigration case.
According to reports, Pena was taken into custody Saturday and is being held at the Delaney Hall Detention Center in Newark, New Jersey. The issue reportedly stems from a rescheduled immigration hearing that wasn’t properly logged in the system, leading authorities to believe he had failed to appear in court. That administrative error allegedly triggered his detention—despite his public insistence that the system primarily targets criminals.
Pena, who arrived in the U.S. in 2009, grew his platform to more than 1.3 million followers on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram. His videos often highlighted immigrant life in America while strongly backing Trump’s immigration crackdown. He repeatedly reassured viewers that deportations were aimed at “bad actors,” pushing back against what he described as fearmongering among immigrant communities.
In one video posted shortly before his detention, Pena urged followers not to panic, claiming that many influencers were spreading unnecessary fear without evidence. His comments echoed Trump-era messaging that enforcement efforts were focused on “the worst of the worst.” But federal data has suggested a more complicated reality, with a significant percentage of detainees lacking criminal convictions—fueling ongoing debate over how immigration policies are carried out in practice.
His arrest also comes amid a record spike in deportations of Brazilian nationals. Brazil’s Federal Police reported that more than 2,200 Brazilians were deported from the U.S. in 2025—the highest total since tracking began in 2020. The surge has intensified scrutiny of enforcement tactics and raised fresh questions about who ultimately gets caught up in the system.
As his case unfolds, Pena’s attorney is working to keep him in New Jersey and prevent a transfer to another state. Friends have launched a GoFundMe to cover mounting legal costs, quickly hitting a $32,000 goal. Meanwhile, social media has erupted with sharp reactions, with critics calling the situation a case of political “self-sabotage” and supporters arguing that bureaucratic mistakes can happen to anyone. For now, the influencer who once confidently defended the crackdown finds himself navigating the very system he championed.
