Federal grand jury indicts ICE officer Christian Castro for lying about Minneapolis shooting

Federal indictment and the January shooting

A federal grand jury has indicted 52-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Christian Castro for making false statements to investigators following a non-fatal shooting in Minneapolis. The indictment, filed under seal, addresses statements Castro made regarding the 14 January 2026 shooting of Julio César Sosa-Celis, a 24-year-old Venezuelan migrant who was struck in the leg. The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown launched in December 2025 that deployed thousands of agents across the Twin Cities. Sosa-Celis was one of three people shot by federal agents during the operation, alongside United States citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed.

Disputed accounts and video evidence

Federal authorities and the Department of Homeland Security initially claimed that Castro fired his weapon in self-defense after being assaulted with a broom handle and a snow shovel. Surveillance video recordings, testimony from three eyewitnesses, and accounts from two Venezuelan men at the scene directly contradicted Castro's official narrative. A Minnesota state judge found probable cause to determine that Castro fired his weapon through the front door of a home knowing it was occupied. Following the emergence of the video evidence, federal authorities suspended Castro and dropped all criminal charges against Sosa-Celis and another detained man in February 2026.

Robin Wolpert, the attorney representing Sosa-Celis, criticized the federal government for filing limited charges against the officer.

Mr. Castro has been indicted for making false statements. But he made them to cover up the fact that he shot my client through the door of an occupied house without a self-defense justification. Although the evidence strongly supports civil rights charges, the federal government has grossly undercharged this case. Mr. Sosa Celis wants Mr. Castro to be held fully accountable for his crimes.

Internal dispute over civil rights charges

Federal prosecutors handling the investigation originally prepared charges against Castro for deprivation of rights under color of law. Department of Justice officials in Washington intervened, instructing prosecutors to pursue only charges of making false statements, which carry lower statutory penalties upon conviction. The indictment against Castro represents a rare federal criminal prosecution against an on-duty immigration officer under the Trump administration. Line prosecutors voiced strong internal resistance against the restriction imposed by department leadership.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Evans recorded his objection in an internal email.

This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough.

Extradition standoff between Texas and Minnesota

Alongside his federal indictment, Castro faces state charges in Minnesota for assault and false reporting of a crime. Following a nationwide warrant issued in May 2026, authorities arrested Castro in Cameron County, Texas, on 29 May 2026. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz requested Castro's extradition, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign the extradition warrant. After 90 days of detention in Brownsville, Texas, United States District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Castro's release, concluding that Minnesota failed to show Abbott had acted dilatorily.