Joe Exotic's Husband Jorge Is Fearful After Being Deported: 'I Cannot Even Go Out on the Street'

Published: May 26, 2025

Joe Exotic's husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado, is speaking out about his life in Tamaulipas, Mexico, following his deportation last week. In an interview with The New York Post, Jorge expressed his fear for his safety, stating, "The cartels are very active here — I cannot even go out on the street. They think I have money because of my husband."

Jorge was deported on May 19, just hours after being released from prison. He had been detained on May 16 and was taken to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center for a hearing to determine whether he would be allowed to remain in the United States or deported to Mexico.

In a recent Instagram post, Joe Exotic (whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage) pleaded with President Donald Trump to help free Jorge so he could join him in Mexico." Joe wrote, "Rough day getting around. The ICE agents didn't understand why he got sent back so fast. He had a hearing scheduled for tomorrow. [Donald Trump] just let me go to Mexico and you can keep Carole Baskin. I'm exhausted trying to figure out why you won't listen to the evidence."

Jorge and Joe got married on April 22, while they were both incarcerated in Texas. This milestone followed their engagement announcement in October 2024. Joe, who is currently serving time after being convicted of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, has been married five times to six total partners.

Meanwhile, Joe Exotic's husband, Jorge Flores Maldonado, is speaking out about his experience in Tamaulipas, Mexico. In an interview with The New York Post, Jorge expressed his fear for his safety, stating, "There is a lot of organized crime here and there is no security. I am a very famous person and right now I run the risk of being kidnapped."

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