A federal officer involved in the Trump administration's militarized immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota has been charged with assault following the shooting of a Venezuelan man. Christian Castro, a 52-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, is accused of shooting Julio Sosa-Celis on 14 January during what was termed 'Operation Metro Surge'. A nationwide warrant has been issued for Castro's arrest.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced on Monday that Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. Moriarty emphasised that Castro's federal position does not shield him from state prosecution for actions taken in Minnesota. She noted the unprecedented nature of the events, stating that holding individuals accountable required approaches not previously contemplated in her career.
Sosa-Celis, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg but survived, was among three people shot by federal immigration agents during the winter crackdown. Two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by agents in separate incidents. Federal officers are authorised to use deadly force when they reasonably perceive a threat of death or serious injury, and initial reports defended Castro's actions.
The incident involving Sosa-Celis began when agents pursued another Venezuelan man, Alfredo Aljorna, who fled in his vehicle, crashed into a snowbank, and ran toward his home. Sosa-Celis was outside holding a snow shovel. Federal authorities initially claimed he attacked agents with the shovel and a broom, with then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem describing it as an attempted murder of law enforcement. Sosa-Celis was charged with assaulting a federal agent with a shovel, but the charges against both men were later dropped after evidence contradicted preliminary hearing testimony. Video footage released by Minneapolis showed Sosa-Celis dropping the shovel and both men running inside as an agent fired toward them.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment. DHS previously stated that lying under oath is a serious federal offence and could lead to termination or prosecution. Hennepin County has been investigating multiple incidents and filed charges against another ICE agent in April for alleged on-duty conduct.
Minnesota officials and the Trump administration have clashed over jurisdiction. The administration has argued that state authorities lack jurisdiction, while state officials express distrust in federal self-investigation. Hennepin County continues to investigate the deaths of Good and Pretti and filed a lawsuit in March seeking access to evidence in those cases and the Sosa-Celis shooting. Moriarty has not yet charged anyone in the fatalities but expressed confidence that the investigations will ensure transparency, even absent criminal prosecution.
