ICE Agent Arrested Over Fatal Shooting During Immigration Raid

Federal Agent Arrested in Texas Linked to Minneapolis Shooting

A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has been arrested in Texas on charges related to a January 14 shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody on Friday after investigators from Minnesota tracked him down with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general office.

Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. The charges stem from an incident during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign that took place in Minneapolis on January 14. According to prosecutors, Castro fired through the front door of a residence, striking Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office stated that Castro was charged earlier this month with the alleged incident. The bullet traveled through the door and struck one victim in the leg before making its final impact in the wall of a child’s room.

Minnesota officials welcomed Castro’s arrest, saying federal agents should be held to the same legal standards as everyone else. “In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “I am pleased to hear Christian Castro has been taken into custody and will stand trial for the crimes he allegedly committed in Minnesota.”

The case became a flashpoint after federal authorities initially claimed Sosa-Celis and another man had assaulted ICE officers, but later acknowledged that they had provided false information about the shooting. The DHS inspector general’s office assisted in Castro’s arrest.

This incident is part of Operation Metro Surge, which began in December 2025 and drew widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics. The operation ultimately prompted intense controversy, particularly after the fatal shootings of two US citizens: Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24.

Source: Al Jazeera