Federal prosecutors have charged Christian Castro, an officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), for allegedly misleading investigators about a shooting incident involving a Venezuelan man. This development comes amidst increased scrutiny of ICE operations, particularly those conducted under Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
Castro was active in north Minneapolis this January as part of a comprehensive immigration crackdown in Minnesota. During this period, he reportedly fired his weapon through a closed door, injuring Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, by shooting him in the leg.
Initially, Castro testified that Sosa-Celis had attacked him. However, surveillance footage has disproved his testimony, leading to federal charges for lying to investigators. The Department of Justice’s pursuit of these charges reflects a rare effort to hold immigration officers accountable for their actions.
The incident has amplified bipartisan criticism concerning the conduct of immigration enforcement officers during Operation Metro Surge, where similar controversial instances led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens.
Separate from federal charges, Castro is facing assault charges at the state level in Minnesota. The Hennepin County attorney sought his extradition from Texas back to Minnesota to confront these charges. However, this effort was halted as a federal judge in Texas recently denied Minnesota’s request to detain Castro pending extradition.
Further updates on this developing story are anticipated as the legal proceedings continue.
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