The charges stem from the Jan. 14 shooting death of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celiz during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent accused of fatally shooting a Venezuelan man during a controversial immigration raid in Minnesota has been arrested in Texas, U.S. authorities said.
Agent Christian Castro, 52, was taken into custody Friday after being tracked down in the southern state by Minnesota agents and arrested with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General. He is charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.
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The charges stem from the non-fatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celiz during Operation Metro Surge on January 14 in Minneapolis. Operation Metro Surge is a large-scale immigration enforcement operation that has drawn widespread criticism for its aggressive tactics.
Prosecutors allege that Mr. Castro fired from the front door of the home, striking Mr. Sosascelis in the leg.
“Earlier this month, Mr. Castro was charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime for an incident on January 14, 2026, in which he fired a gun from the front door of a home he knew had just taken refuge inside,” the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“The bullet passed through the door, hit the victim in the leg, and finally hit the wall of the child’s room.”
Minnesota officials welcomed Castro’s arrest and said federal employees should be held to the same legal standards as other employees.
“In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law, and that means no one is above the law, including federal employees,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. “I am pleased to hear that Mr. Cristian Castro is in custody and will stand trial for the crimes he allegedly committed in Minnesota.”
Operation Metro Surge faces increased legal scrutiny
The incident became a flashpoint after federal authorities initially alleged Sosascelis and another man assaulted an ICE officer.
Those allegations were later cleared up after video and other evidence contradicted investigators’ accounts, leading prosecutors to drop charges against Sosa-Celiz and his roommate Alfredo Algiorna.
DHS later admitted that the officers involved in the incident provided false information regarding the shooting.
Outgoing ICE Director Todd Lyons also indicated that a federal investigation is underway. “Lying under oath is a serious federal crime,” he said.
But ICE, through a spokesperson, rejected Minnesota’s efforts to prosecute the agents involved, calling the incident “illegal” and a “political stunt.”
Mr. Castro is the second federal officer to be indicted this year in connection with Operation Metro Surge, an unusual move that reflects growing scrutiny of the conduct of federal agents during immigration enforcement operations.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is investigating other cases related to the operation.
Operation Metro Surge began in December 2025 in Minnesota. By the time Sosa Celis was shot and killed on January 14, hundreds of federal agents had been deployed throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, in what officials said was the largest DHS operation in U.S. history.
This crackdown ultimately sparked intense controversy, especially after the shooting deaths of two American citizens, Renee Goode on January 7th and Alex Preti on January 24th.
Against this backdrop, the investigation into the Sosa Celis shooting has brought increased scrutiny to the tactics and actions of federal agents during the operation.
