A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent facing assault charges connected to a controversial shooting during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis has been arrested in Texas, according to authorities.
The agent, identified as Christian Castro, was taken into custody after prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minnesota, charged him with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. The charges stem from a January incident during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation known as Operation Metro Surge.
Prosecutors allege Castro shot Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis through the front door of a Minneapolis residence, striking him in the leg while pursuing another individual. Investigators later claimed evidence contradicted earlier accounts that Sosa-Celis had attacked federal agents before the shooting occurred.
Authorities said the arrest was carried out with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General after investigators tracked Castro to Texas.
The case has become one of the most closely watched legal developments connected to Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration crackdown that sparked protests, public scrutiny, and multiple investigations into the conduct of immigration officers operating in Minnesota.
Officials previously dropped federal assault allegations against Sosa-Celis after video evidence reportedly raised questions about the original claims made by officers involved in the incident. Two ICE agents were later placed on administrative leave amid investigations into alleged false statements connected to the case.
The Department of Homeland Security has criticized the prosecution, with some federal officials arguing the case should be handled through federal channels, while local prosecutors maintain that federal officers can still face state criminal charges for actions taken within Minnesota.
The arrest marks the second time an ICE agent has faced state criminal charges related to conduct during the Minneapolis immigration enforcement operation, adding to ongoing debates surrounding immigration enforcement, accountability, and the role of federal agents in local communities.
