ICE Agent Arrested Over Shooting of Venezuelan Man in US Immigration Raid

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been arrested in Texas on charges related to the shooting of a Venezuelan man during a controversial immigration raid in Minnesota. Agent Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody after investigators tracked him to the southern state, with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office.

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In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government.

Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. These charges are connected to the non-fatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis on January 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. The incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign that had drawn significant criticism for its aggressive tactics.

Prosecutors allege that Castro fired his weapon through the front door of a residence, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. This account contradicts initial claims by federal authorities that Sosa-Celis and another man had assaulted ICE officers. Evidence, including video footage, later emerged that challenged the agents' narrative, leading prosecutors to drop charges against Sosa-Celis and his housemate.

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The charges stem from the non-fatal shooting on January 14 of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign that drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics.

Minnesota officials, including Attorney General Keith Ellison, welcomed Castro's arrest, emphasizing the principle of equal justice under the law. "In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government," Ellison stated. The Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that officers involved had provided false information, and the outgoing director of ICE indicated a federal investigation into lying under oath was underway. However, ICE, through a spokesperson, reportedly rejected Minnesota's efforts to prosecute the agent.

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Lying under oath is a serious federal offense.