Federal prosecutors have indicted a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer for allegedly lying to investigators about shooting a Venezuelan migrant in Minneapolis, marking a dramatic escalation in a case that exposed potential misconduct during immigration enforcement operations and triggered interstate legal battles over extradition.
Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment
The Department of Justice charged ICE agent Christian Castro with making false statements connected to the January 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was struck in the leg during an enforcement action. A federal grand jury in Minnesota handed down the indictment on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the charges. Castro allegedly opened fire through the front door of a Minneapolis residence before providing misleading accounts of the encounter to investigators.
The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, part of the administration’s enhanced immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota. Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and another man of assaulting an officer with a broom handle and snow shovel during the confrontation. However, prosecutors dropped those charges after video evidence contradicted the officers’ accounts, prompting an investigation into potential false reporting by law enforcement.
Interstate Battle Over Custody
Castro walked free from a Texas jail last week after Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant to transfer him to Minnesota authorities. Under Texas law, without extradition approval, Castro faced mandatory release after 90 days of detention. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an unsuccessful emergency request for a temporary restraining order attempting to block the release or force Castro’s return to face state charges.
Minnesota has separately charged Castro with assault and false reporting of a crime related to the same incident. The competing jurisdictions have created a complex legal situation where the officer faces both federal charges in Minnesota and state charges he cannot be compelled to answer while remaining in Texas. The shooting triggered at least one night of civil unrest in Minneapolis following the incident.
Civil Rights Charges Blocked
ProPublica reported Wednesday that federal prosecutors faced restrictions from Washington officials preventing them from pursuing civil rights charges against Castro, limiting the scope of federal accountability in the case. The Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, and ICE have not responded to requests for comment on the indictment or the reported limitations on civil rights prosecution. The case highlights ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement priorities and accountability for alleged officer misconduct during operations targeting undocumented immigrants.