Feds Consider Charging ICE Officer in Minnesota Shooting Case

Federal prosecutors are weighing criminal charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of shooting a Venezuelan immigrant in Minnesota during the Trump administration's federal immigration surge. The incident occurred in January, and sources familiar with the deliberations indicate that a civil rights offense, which addresses the use of excessive force by an official, is among the potential charges being considered. Officer Christian Castro was initially charged in May by Minnesota's local prosecutors with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. He was arrested in Texas but Texas Governor Greg Abbott has refused to extradite him to Minnesota. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has since sued Abbott, challenging the legality of the state's refusal. A federal court hearing is scheduled in Texas to determine Castro's extradition. In addition to potential civil rights violations, federal prosecutors are also examining whether Castro made false statements to the government, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. This development follows the dropping of federal charges against the two immigrants involved in the incident, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. The Justice Department cited "newly discovered evidence" that was "materially inconsistent" with the allegations against them, leading to the dismissal of charges with prejudice.