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ICE Officer Charged Over Minneapolis Shooting
By Aurax Desk | September 4, 2026 | 2 min read
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro has been federally indicted on allegations that he made false statements to investigators about a January shooting in Minneapolis. The case comes as Castro also faces separate state charges and renewed scrutiny over the conduct of federal immigration officers during the Trump administration's enforcement campaign in Minnesota.
Federal immigration officers conduct an enforcement operation in Minneapolis as authorities continue to examine events surrounding Operation Metro Surge.
A federal grand jury indicted Castro on six counts of making false statements in connection with the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man who was struck in the leg when Castro fired through the front door of a Minneapolis home. Castro initially told authorities that Sosa-Celis and another man had attacked officers with a snow shovel and broom handle, but prosecutors later dropped charges against the two men after reviewing video and other evidence that contradicted key parts of the officers' account. Castro, 52, was placed on unpaid leave from ICE and later charged in Minnesota with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. The federal indictment remains sealed until it is formally unsealed following his arrest.
The federal case developed after a prolonged dispute over Castro's custody. Minnesota authorities arrested him in Texas in May and sought his extradition, but Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did not approve the transfer, and Castro was released from a Texas jail in late August after the state detention period expired. He subsequently surrendered to federal authorities after being indicted. The federal false-statement charge carries a maximum sentence of five years if convicted, while prosecutors in Minnesota had also considered more serious allegations related to the shooting. The Justice Department's handling of the case has prompted disagreement among prosecutors, including the firing of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans, who had been involved in the investigation. The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a major federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that generated protests and broader debate over the use of force and accountability for federal agents.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, Washington Post, CNN, CBS News, USA Today, Minnesota Star Tribune and Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
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