Minnesota is taking action against the actions of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the State. A federal agent has been formally charged for the shooting of a Venezuelan migrant that occurred last January in the city of Minneapolis. The incident happened during the so-called Metro Surge Operation, the extensive immigration operation promoted by the Donald Trump Administration in Minnesota.
The Hennepin County Prosecutor’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 charge for falsely reporting a crime. Additionally, authorities issued a nationwide arrest warrant.
County prosecutor Mary Moriarty stated that the agent’s federal status does not exempt him from criminal responsibility. “His federal badge does not make him immune to state charges for criminal conduct in Minnesota,” she said during a press conference.
According to the state investigation, agent Castro fired through the front door of a residence after a brief confrontation with Sosa-Celis and Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, both Venezuelan migrants. The shot hit Sosa-Celis’s leg and went through the wall of a room where minors were present.
Authorities maintain that the agent was not under immediate threat when he opened fire. Security camera footage and physical evidence contradicted the initial version offered by federal agents, who claimed that Castro had been violently attacked with a shovel and a broomstick.
According to the complaint filed in court, the recordings show that Sosa-Celis dropped the shovel he was carrying before the shot and retreated toward the house. It is also observed that Aljorna slipped while trying to enter the house and briefly struggled with Castro. Seconds later, both men entered the home and the agent fired from outside.
The prosecutor’s office indicated that there were four adults and two children inside the residence at the time of the shooting. After the incident, federal agents used tear gas, entered the house, and detained the adults present. Paramedics were unable to attend to Sosa-Celis until almost 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 episode as “an attempted murder against federal agents.” Federal authorities even released police photos of Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, who were accused of assaulting a federal officer.
However, weeks later, the Department of Justice dropped the charges against both Venezuelans after reviewing videos of the incident. ICE later acknowledged that two agents made false statements under oath and were placed on administrative leave while internal investigations proceed.
In a statement, the DHS called the state charges against the agent “an illegal political spectacle,” although it acknowledged that lying under oath constitutes a serious federal crime. The agency noted that the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to investigate the agents’ statements and warned that they could face disciplinary sanctions, dismissals, and even criminal charges.
The Metro Surge Operation was launched by the Trump Administration as a massive offensive against irregular immigration in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. The operation mobilized thousands of federal agents and resulted in multiple confrontations, protests, and legal challenges.
The Sosa-Celis case sparked strong demonstrations in Minneapolis, where residents denounced abuse of force by federal agents. During protests following the shooting, some demonstrators threw fireworks at police and damaged official vehicles.
Castro is the second federal agent criminally charged in Minnesota for incidents related to the Metro Surge Operation. In April, another ICE agent, Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., was charged with assault after allegedly pointing a weapon at drivers during a traffic incident in Minneapolis.
Investigations into other episodes linked to the operation remain open. Among them are the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, two U.S. citizens shot by federal agents during immigration actions carried out in January.
Moriarty noted that her office is reviewing more than 30 possible incidents of criminal conduct committed by federal agents during the immigration deployment. She also acknowledged that prosecuting federal officials represents a complex legal challenge due to the constitutional protections they possess, although she insisted that such immunities “are not absolute.”
