An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of shooting a Venezuelan man was arrested in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The arrest comes eight months after the incident in which he injured the man and then lied to investigators, which became a flashpoint in US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.Christian Castro surrendered to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents in downtown Minneapolis and was booked into the Hennepin County Jail on an outstanding warrant, ICE said.Castro faces state assault charges for the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio César Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan citizen. He is also charged with falsely reporting a crime after allegedly telling Department of Homeland Security officials that Sosa-Celis and others had attacked him with a snow shovel and a broom.
Video evidence later refuted that account, prosecutors said.Castro’s arrest came after he was released on bail from federal custody earlier this month. He had been arrested in Texas on separate federal charges of making false statements to investigators about the shooting and was released with a GPS ankle monitor.His attorney, Rolando Cantú, said Castro always intended to face the charges in Minneapolis. He disputed prosecutors’ claims that his client could flee to Mexico.“He wants his day in court.”Castro was expected to make his first appearance in state court in Minneapolis on Thursday. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in neighboring St. Paul on Friday morning on the federal charges.
Case linked
The state case arises from a confrontation during Operation Metro Surge, the large-scale deployment of ICE in Minneapolis as part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown.Castro allegedly shot Sosa-Celis in the leg through the door of his apartment while children were inside.
The incident sparked protests and clashes between federal immigration agents and protesters.After the shooting, Castro returned to his home state of Texas, preventing Minnesota authorities from immediately arresting him. An arrest warrant was later issued for him.The Texas Rangers finally stopped Castro. However, Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign the extradition documents sent by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.Abbott questioned whether Castro could be considered a fugitive because the Department of Homeland Security had reassigned him to Texas after the Minneapolis shooting.Castro spent about 90 days in a Texas county jail and was released Aug. 27 after a federal judge denied Minnesota’s request for an immediate extradition order.He was arrested again in Texas after a federal grand jury indicted him in early September for making false statements.
The indictment marked the first U.S. Justice Department indictment of a federal agent accused of wrongdoing related to Operation Metro Surge.DHS has suspended Castro from ICE. A person familiar with the case also said a civil rights investigation has been opened into the Sosa-Celis shooting.“Governor Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from liability has failed. We look forward to beginning our prosecution,” Hennepin County Prosecutor Mary Moriarty said in a statement.
