ICE agent arrested over shooting of Venezuelan man in US immigration raid

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Christian Castro, has been arrested in Texas on charges related to a shooting during an immigration raid in Minneapolis. The incident occurred on January 14, 2026, during "Operation Metro Surge." Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Prosecutors allege he fired his weapon through the front door of a residence, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. Minnesota officials stated that federal agents should be held to the same legal standards as others. The arrest was made by Minnesota investigators with assistance from Texas authorities and the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office.

ICE agent Christian Castro was arrested in Texas on Friday, 11 days after being charged by Minneapolis prosecutors with assault and falsely reporting a crime. Castro is accused of firing through a home's front door and shooting Venezuelan man Julio Cesar Sosa Celis in the thigh during a January immigration operation in Minnesota. Video evidence contradicted federal authorities' initial claims that Sosa Celis and another man attacked officers with a broom handle and snow shovel. Castro is the second federal agent charged over conduct during this operation, known as "Operation Metro Surge." Hennepin County prosecutors stated the arrest was a critical step forward in their prosecution.

Minnesota prosecutors have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, identified as 53-year-old Christian Castro, with assault. The charges stem from the January shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis. Castro faces four felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime. This incident occurred during an immigration crackdown in the city. The victim, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, was shot in the leg. Castro is the second federal agent to be charged by Minneapolis officials in connection with this immigration enforcement surge, which also involved the deaths of two U.S. citizens by federal agents.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced charges against ICE officer Christian Castro in connection with the January 14 shooting of Julio César Sosa-Celis in Minnesota. Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national legally in the U.S., was shot in the thigh by a federal officer during an immigration crackdown. Federal authorities initially claimed Sosa-Celis assaulted officers, but charges were later dismissed, and an investigation into potential false statements by officers was opened. Video evidence released by Minneapolis reportedly contradicted ICE's initial account of the incident. The charges come amid ongoing tensions between state and federal officials regarding jurisdiction over investigations into federal officer conduct.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, Christian Castro, for a nonfatal shooting that occurred on January 14. Castro is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man, during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Moriarty stated that Sosa-Celis was legally in the U.S. and posed no threat, and that Castro fired through a door into an apartment where people had just entered. Federal authorities had initially accused Sosa-Celis of assaulting an officer, but those charges were dismissed, and an investigation into potential false statements by officers was opened. Moriarty emphasized that federal officers are not immune from state charges for criminal conduct.