U.S. federal prosecutors have charged ICE officer Christian Castro over allegations that he provided false information to investigators concerning the shooting of Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The incident occurred on January 14, 2026, during a major federal immigration-enforcement operation in Minnesota known as Operation Metro Surge. Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg during the confrontation and survived.
According to the initial account from federal authorities, officers said they were involved in a confrontation in which Sosa-Celis and another man allegedly attacked an officer using objects including a broom handle and a snow shovel. That account later came under significant scrutiny after video and other evidence appeared to contradict important parts of the officers’ version of events.
Federal prosecutors subsequently dropped assault charges against Sosa-Celis and another man after saying newly discovered evidence was inconsistent with the allegations against them. Investigators then examined whether officers had misrepresented what happened during the encounter.
Castro now faces federal charges alleging false statements to investigators. Reports say a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment, although the indictment was initially sealed. Castro also faces separate state charges in Minnesota related to the shooting, including allegations of assault and false reporting.
The case has also involved a legal dispute between Minnesota and Texas over Castro’s custody. He had been held in Texas after Minnesota authorities sought his extradition, but was released after Texas officials declined to immediately hand him over. He has now surrendered to federal authorities following the federal charges.
Castro has been suspended from ICE without pay while the matter is investigated. The case is attracting national attention because it represents an unusual federal prosecution involving an immigration-enforcement officer accused of misconduct during the Minnesota immigration crackdown.
Importantly, being charged does not mean Castro has been found guilty. The allegations will have to be tested through the U.S. legal process.
🔥 KEY POINT
The central issue is whether an ICE officer gave investigators a false account of the circumstances surrounding the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Federal prosecutors have now brought charges over the alleged false statements, while the underlying shooting remains the subject of separate legal proceedings.
