ICE Agent Arrested in Texas After Shooting Venezuelan Man in Minneapolis

Federal Agent Taken Into Custody

Christian Castro, a 52-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was arrested Friday morning in Harlingen, Texas, on charges stemming from the January shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis . Castro faces four felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime .

The arrest took place shortly before 9:30 a.m. at a home in Harlingen, with Castro subsequently booked into the Cameron County Jail and awaiting extradition to Minnesota . Department of Homeland Security agents, Texas Rangers, and investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension collaborated in the arrest operation .

Video Evidence Contradicts Official Story

The charges stem from the January 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who was shot in the leg during an immigration enforcement operation . Federal authorities initially claimed three people assaulted the ICE officer with a snow shovel and broom handles for three minutes , but video of the incident released by the City of Minneapolis contradicts that claim .

The footage shows Sosa-Celis running toward the house but slipping and falling before the ICE agent catches up with him, while another man is seen dropping a snow shovel and going inside the house . The newfound footage forced the Justice Department to drop short-lived federal charges against the two men in February, initially brought based on Castro's and another agent's accounts .

Part of Broader Immigration Operation

The shooting took place amid a flurry of use of force incidents during Operation Metro Surge, which saw thousands of federal agents dispatched to the Twin Cities . Sosa-Celis was one of three people in Minneapolis shot by federal agents during the immigration crackdown earlier this year, with the other two, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot and killed by ICE officers .

The Department of Homeland Security called Castro's arrest "unlawful" and a "political stunt," arguing the agent's actions should be handled by federal authorities . However, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he was "pleased" to hear Castro has been arrested, stating that "nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government" .

Legal Implications and Next Steps

BCA Superintendent Drew Evans emphasized that while the circumstances are unique, the investigative procedures and legal process are standard, with the arrest representing the next step in bringing Castro back to Minnesota to face charges . Castro is the second federal agent to be charged over their conduct during the Minnesota crackdown , with another immigration agent, Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., charged last month with assault for allegedly pointing his gun at people in a car on a highway .

This case highlights growing tensions between state and federal authorities over accountability in immigration enforcement operations. Minnesota leaders and the Trump administration have clashed over who has the authority to investigate and prosecute federal officers for on-duty conduct . The outcome of Castro's prosecution could set important precedents for how states can hold federal agents accountable when video evidence contradicts official reports of force incidents.