Federal agent arrested in Texas over Minnesota immigration raid shooting
Minnesota prosecutors allege the agent fired through a front door, striking a Venezuelan national in the leg, while federal authorities reject the state’s jurisdiction over the case.
Christian Castro, a 52-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, was taken into custody in Texas on Friday following an investigation by Minnesota authorities. Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in relation to the non-fatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, in Minneapolis on 14 January 2026.
The arrest was executed with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) inspector general’s office, after investigators tracked Castro to the southern state. The charges stem from an incident during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign that deployed hundreds of federal agents across the Minneapolis-St Paul area beginning in December 2025.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office stated that Castro discharged his weapon through the front door of a residence, knowing people had just run inside. The bullet struck Sosa-Celis in the leg before embedding itself in the wall of a child’s room. Prosecutors allege the agent’s actions constituted a direct assault on the resident.
The case has become a focal point of scrutiny regarding federal conduct during the crackdown. Initial federal accounts claimed Sosa-Celis and his housemate, Alfredo Aljorna, had assaulted officers, but these allegations were dropped after video evidence contradicted the agents’ statements. The DHS subsequently acknowledged that officers involved had provided false information about the shooting.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison welcomed the arrest, emphasising that federal agents must adhere to the same legal standards as civilians. “In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government,” Ellison said.
However, ICE has strongly rejected the state’s prosecution efforts. A spokesperson for the agency described the case as “unlawful” and labelled it “a political stunt.” Outgoing ICE director Todd Lyons indicated that a federal investigation is also underway, noting that lying under oath is a serious federal offence.
Castro is the second federal officer charged this year in connection with Operation Metro Surge, which officials described as the largest DHS operation in US history. The crackdown has drawn widespread criticism, particularly following the fatal shootings of two US citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in January 2026. Moriarty continues to investigate other incidents linked to the operation.
