ICE Agent Arrested in Minneapolis Over Shooting of Venezuelan Man Following Months-Long Dispute

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of shooting a Venezuelan man was arrested in Minneapolis, eight months after an incident that drew widespread attention during a major federal immigration crackdown. Christian Castro turned himself in to investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in downtown Minneapolis and was booked into the Hennepin County jail on an outstanding arrest warrant, according to ICE statements.

Castro faces state assault charges stemming from the January 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national. In addition to the assault allegations, Castro is accused of falsely reporting a crime. Prosecutors stated that Castro allegedly told Department of Homeland Security officials that Sosa-Celis and other individuals attacked him using a snow shovel and a broom. However, video evidence later contradicted and disproved that account.

The state case against Castro originated from a confrontation during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale ICE deployment in Minneapolis implemented as part of President Donald Trump's broader immigration enforcement initiatives. According to investigators, Castro shot Sosa-Celis in the leg through the apartment door while children were present inside the residence. The violent encounter sparked local protests and physical clashes between federal immigration agents and demonstrators.

Following the shooting, Castro relocated to Texas, his home state, which initially prevented authorities in Minnesota from executing an immediate arrest. Although a Minnesota warrant was issued, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to sign extradition papers sent by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Governor Abbott questioned whether Castro could officially be classified as a fugitive because the Department of Homeland Security had reassigned the agent to Texas following the Minneapolis incident.

Castro spent approximately 90 days confined in a Texas county jail before being released on August 27, after a federal judge declined Minnesota's request for an immediate extradition order. His freedom was short-lived, however, as he was taken into custody again in Texas after a federal grand jury indicted him in early September on charges of making false statements to investigators regarding the shooting. This federal indictment represented the first time the U.S. Justice Department prosecuted a federal law enforcement officer for alleged wrongdoing tied to Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Homeland Security has since suspended Castro from his duties with ICE.

Castro's detention this week followed his release on bond from federal custody earlier in the month, subsequent to his arrest in Texas on the separate federal false statement charges, during which he was monitored via a GPS ankle bracelet. Rolando Cantu, defense counsel for Castro, maintained that his client had always intended to address the pending charges in Minneapolis and rejected prosecution arguments that Castro might attempt to flee to Mexico, stating that the agent wanted his day in court.

Legal proceedings for Castro are scheduled across multiple jurisdictions. He was expected to make his initial appearance in a Minnesota state court in Minneapolis, followed by a scheduled appearance in U.S. District Court in neighboring St. Paul to address the federal charges against him.

Public officials have closely monitored the case. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty criticized the earlier resistance from Texas leadership, stating that Governor Abbott's attempt to shield Castro from accountability had failed and expressing anticipation for the commencement of local prosecution. Additionally, an individual familiar with the matter confirmed that a separate civil rights investigation into the shooting of Sosa-Celis has been initiated.