ICE Agent Arrested in Texas After Allegedly Lying About Minnesota Shooting

Federal Agent Charged With False Reporting

A federal immigration agent who shot a Venezuelan man during a January raid in Minneapolis has been arrested in Texas, marking a dramatic escalation in a case that has exposed alleged misconduct within Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Christian Castro, 52, was arrested Friday morning in Harlingen, Texas, "without incident" by Texas Rangers and federal agents .

Minnesota prosecutors charged Castro last week with four felony counts of second-degree assault and one misdemeanor count of filing a false police report in connection with the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. Video evidence and witness accounts contradicted the original federal claims that Sosa-Celis and his cousin had attacked the agent with a shovel, with surveillance camera footage showing that the men didn't attack Castro or any other agents .

The January Incident That Sparked Controversy

The shooting occurred after Venezuelan man Alfredo Aljorna led Castro and three other ICE agents on a vehicle chase that ended at his home, with Aljorna later telling state investigators that he fled because the agents were in an unmarked vehicle and he didn't know who was chasing him . Castro then fired at the front door, striking Aljorna's roommate, Julio Sosa-Celis, in the leg .

After the shooting, Castro told federal investigators that Aljorna and Sosa-Celis attacked him with a shovel and broom to avoid being arrested, and based on Castro's statements, federal prosecutors charged both men with assaulting a law enforcement officer . Both Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were in the U.S. legally after arriving from Venezuela through the federal government's Temporary Protected Status program .

Federal Response and Administrative Action

The Justice Department dropped the charges against the Venezuelan men in February, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement said two of its agents, who made false statements about the incident under oath, were placed on administrative leave . In a statement to CNN, a DHS spokesperson called Castro's arrest "unlawful" and a "political stunt," saying the agent's actions should be handled at the federal level and that officers may face disciplinary action, including termination and potential criminal prosecution .

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison emphasized that "nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government," and stated that "Christian Castro's alleged shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis appears unwarranted, as evidenced by the lies Castro told his ICE supervisors to justify his unlawful actions" .

Implications for Federal Immigration Enforcement

This case represents one of several instances in which the US government's account of a shooting involving a federal immigration agent has fallen apart after later scrutiny . The state charges are "likely to result in an attempt to 'remove' this case to federal court," but should a judge grant removal, it will still be prosecuted by county attorneys under Minnesota statute and would be ineligible for presidential pardon if it ends in conviction .

The arrest signals a potential shift in how state prosecutors handle alleged federal agent misconduct, particularly during immigration enforcement operations. With federal agencies defending their officers while state authorities pursue criminal charges, this case could set important precedents for accountability in federal law enforcement actions that occur within state jurisdictions.