Federal grand jury indicts ICE agent Christian Castro for lying about shooting Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota

Federal indictment and the January shooting

A federal grand jury in Minnesota returned a six-count indictment on 2 September 2026 against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Christian Castro. The charges accuse the 52-year-old officer of making false statements to federal investigators following an enforcement encounter in Minneapolis. On 14 January 2026, Castro fired through the closed front door of a residence, shooting 24-year-old Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. Department of Homeland Security officials initially asserted that Castro acted in self-defense against an attack with a shovel and broom. Subsequent surveillance video disproved that narrative, prompting federal prosecutors to dismiss assault charges previously filed against Sosa-Celis and companion Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna.

State charges and the Texas extradition dispute

In addition to the federal case, Castro faces state felony charges in Minnesota, including assault with a dangerous weapon and falsely reporting a crime. Minnesota authorities issued an arrest warrant, leading to Castro's arrest in Texas in May 2026. The agent remained in the Cameron County jail in Brownsville for 90 days while Minnesota Governor Tim Walz sought his extradition. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign the extradition warrant, stating that he doubted Castro qualified as a fugitive. Minnesota filed a lawsuit to compel the transfer, but Texas released Castro in late August after statutory detention limits expired.

Internal dispute over civil rights charges

The federal indictment addresses false statements rather than civil rights violations or the shooting itself. Disagreements over the prosecution emerged when Assistant US Attorney Matthew Evans contacted attorneys representing Sosa-Celis and Aljorna. Evans wrote that Justice Department leadership in Washington and the US Attorney for Minnesota blocked efforts to file civil rights charges.

This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough.

The Justice Department subsequently fired Evans and opened an inquiry into potential grand jury obstruction. Department officials stated that a civil rights investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.

Operation Metro Surge and court rulings

The confrontation occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal enforcement initiative deployed in the Twin Cities between late December 2025 and mid-February 2026. Federal authorities reported 4,000 arrests during the surge. Sosa-Celis was one of three people shot by immigration officers during the operation, alongside the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Attorney Robin Wolpert, who represents Sosa-Celis, argued that the charges remain insufficient.

Mr. Castro has been indicted for making false statements. But he made them to cover up the fact that he shot my client through the door of an occupied house without a self-defense justification. Although the evidence strongly supports civil rights charges, the federal government has grossly undercharged this case. Mr. Sosa Celis wants Mr. Castro to be held fully accountable for his crimes.

Following the shooting, federal courts intervened regarding the handling of witnesses. US District Judge Paul Magnuson ordered the supervised release of Sosa-Celis and Aljorna and barred the deportation of material witnesses after immigration officers moved them toward out-of-state detention facilities. US District Judge Patrick Schiltz separately concluded that subsequent warrantless arrests of the men outside the courthouse violated federal law.