U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Christian Castro was arrested on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Minneapolis. He faces state charges of assault and false reporting, as well as federal charges for lying to investigators, in connection with the January 14 shooting of a Venezuelan man.
The incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement deployment in Minneapolis. Following the shooting, Castro returned to Texas, where he was reassigned by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A legal dispute over his extradition followed, as Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined to sign extradition papers requested by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Castro spent 90 days in a Texas jail before being released on August 27 after a federal judge rejected an immediate extradition request. He was arrested again in early September following a federal indictment.
Prosecutors allege that on January 14, Castro shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis through an apartment door, wounding him in the leg while children were present inside the home. According to authorities, Castro informed DHS officials that he opened fire after being attacked with a snow shovel and a broom. However, prosecutors state that video evidence contradicts this account. Castro's attorney, Daniel Gerdts, stated that Castro had intended to surrender at his lawyer's office on Wednesday but was arrested by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shortly before his arrival.
The scale of the situation includes one wounded individual and two other U.S. citizens who were fatally shot by federal agents during the broader Operation Metro Surge. The legal proceedings have involved high-ranking officials from two states, including the governors of Minnesota and Texas, and have spanned approximately eight months of extradition disputes and federal court hearings. A person in the Minneapolis area would have noticed the presence of federal agents during the initial operation and subsequent public protests, while the specific individuals involved in the January 14 incident experienced physical injury and legal detention.
The case sets a precedent regarding the extradition of federal agents between states and the authority of the Justice Department to prosecute federal officers for actions taken during immigration enforcement. DHS has suspended Castro from his position at ICE, and a civil rights investigation has been opened into the shooting. Castro was scheduled to make his first appearance on the Minnesota state charges on Thursday, September 17, 2026, followed by a federal court appearance in St. Paul on Friday, September 18, 2026. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated that the local prosecution will now proceed.