Minnesota is taking action in response to the activities of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the state. A federal agent has been formally charged in connection with the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant that occurred last January in Minneapolis. The incident took place during “Operation Metro Surge,” the large-scale immigration enforcement operation launched by the Trump administration in Minnesota.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed charges against Christian J. Castro, 52, identified as the agent who shot Julio Sosa-Celis on January 14 in north Minneapolis. Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor count for falsely reporting a crime. Authorities also issued a nationwide arrest warrant.
County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated that the officer’s federal status does not exempt him from criminal liability. “His federal badge does not make him immune from state charges for his criminal conduct in Minnesota,” she said during a press conference.
According to the state investigation, Agent Castro fired through the front door of a home following a brief confrontation with Sosa-Celis and Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, both Venezuelan immigrants. The bullet struck Sosa-Celis in the leg and passed through the wall of a room where minors were present.
Authorities maintain that the officer was not under immediate threat when he opened fire. Security camera footage and physical evidence contradicted the initial account provided by federal agents, who claimed that Castro had been violently attacked with a shovel and a broomstick.
According to the complaint filed with the court, the recordings show that Sosa-Celis dropped the shovel he was carrying before the shot was fired and backed away toward the house. It also shows that Aljorna slipped while trying to enter the house and briefly struggled with Castro. Seconds later, both men entered the residence, and the agent fired from outside.
Prosecutors stated that there were four adults and two children inside the home at the time of the shooting. Following the incident, federal agents used tear gas, entered the house, and arrested the adults present. Paramedics were unable to treat Sosa-Celis until nearly an hour after he was shot.
Initially, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly defended the agents’ actions. Then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the incident as “an attempted murder of federal law enforcement.” Federal authorities even released police photos of Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, who were charged with assaulting a federal officer.
However, weeks later, the Department of Justice dropped the charges against both Venezuelans after reviewing videos of the incident. ICE subsequently acknowledged that two agents had made false statements under oath and were placed on administrative leave while internal investigations are ongoing.
In a statement, DHS described the state charges against the agent as “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt,” though it acknowledged that lying under oath constitutes a serious federal offense. The agency noted that the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the agents’ statements and warned that they could face disciplinary action, termination, and even criminal charges.
“Operation Metro Surge” was launched by the Trump administration as a massive crackdown on undocumented immigration in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. The operation mobilized thousands of federal agents and led to multiple clashes, protests, and legal challenges.
The Sosa-Celis case sparked intense demonstrations in Minneapolis, where residents reported excessive use of force by federal agents. During the protests following the shooting, some demonstrators threw fireworks at police officers and damaged official vehicles.
Castro is the second federal agent to face criminal charges in Minnesota in connection with “Operation Metro Surge”. In April, another ICE agent, Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., was charged with assault after allegedly pointing a gun at drivers during a traffic stop in Minneapolis.
Investigations into other incidents linked to the operation remain open. Among them are the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens shot and killed by federal agents during immigration enforcement actions carried out in January.
Moriarty noted that his office is reviewing more than 30 potential incidents of criminal conduct committed by federal agents during the immigration operation. He also acknowledged that prosecuting federal officials presents a complex legal challenge due to the constitutional protections they enjoy, though he insisted that such immunities “are not absolute.”
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