An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer has been charged with lying to federal investigators about the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in Minnesota. Christian Castro, who was part of a large immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, is accused of making false claims about the incident that led to the shooting. The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a major immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities area that began in January 2026. Castro was involved in a confrontation at an apartment where Julio Sosa-Celis lived, and he reportedly fired his weapon through a closed door. Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg during the incident, which happened in January.
Initially, Castro claimed that Sosa-Celis had attacked him with a broom handle and a snow shovel, but surveillance footage contradicted his account, according to NPR. Federal prosecutors later dropped charges against Sosa-Celis after recognizing that officers had made untruthful statements about the event, according to a report from krgv.com. Castro is also facing state-level assault charges in Minnesota for his actions during the incident.
The federal case against Castro remains sealed but was confirmed by a person not authorized to speak publicly about an ongoing investigation. This is a rare instance where the Justice Department has pursued criminal charges against an immigration officer for actions taken during arrests. The Hennepin County attorney in Minnesota had sought to extradite Castro from Texas to face state charges. However, a federal judge in Texas ruled against Minnesota’s request to keep him in custody pending extradition.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition order, citing ongoing investigations into fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs. Castro had been held in a Texas jail while Minnesota officials sought his return to face charges related to the shooting. After custody, Castro was released following a federal judge’s refusal to order his extradition.
Attorneys for Sosa-Celis have expressed that they want Castro held fully accountable for what happened. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota said Sosa-Celis plans to seek damages from the federal government over the incident.
Castro was suspended from ICE in February while federal investigations were underway. ICE acting director Todd Lyons said that violations of professional standards would not be tolerated.
The Department of Homeland Security had previously criticized Minnesota’s prosecution as a political stunt and claimed only federal authorities had jurisdiction. Castro was placed on leave during the investigation into his actions during Operation Metro Surge.
The case has drawn attention to how federal immigration officers conduct arrests and whether their actions are properly monitored. In recent years, ICE has been under scrutiny for its use of force during enforcement operations, especially in the Trump administration era. The incident involving Castro and Sosa-Celis follows other controversial shootings of immigrants by federal officers in Texas and Maine. Neither the individuals targeted nor the officers involved were wearing body cameras at the time of those incidents.
A federal prosecutor working on the case told Sosa-Celis’s lawyers that Justice Department officials blocked a civil rights charge from being brought against Castro. However, another person familiar with the investigation said that no final decision had been made on whether to pursue additional charges. Matthew Evans, the prosecutor involved, has since been fired and is under investigation for allegedly obstructing a grand jury probe.
Castro had reportedly spoken about marrying a woman and moving to Mexico while he was in jail. The case continues to raise questions about accountability for federal immigration enforcement actions.
IMAGE: CBP and ICE officers in front of an ICE vehicle in Minneapolis on January 8, 2026 by: Chad Davis CC BY 4.0