ICE Officer Indicted on Federal False Statements Charge in Minneapolis Shooting

Reporting based primarily on foxnews.com.

Federal prosecutors have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with lying to investigators about the events surrounding the shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis earlier this year. [1] The Department of Justice has charged ICE agent Christian Castro with making false statements connected to the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was shot in the leg. [1] He was indicted by a federal grand jury in Minnesota on Wednesday, a source familiar with the charges said. [1]

Federal Indictment of ICE Agent

Federal prosecutors have charged ICE agent Christian Castro with making false statements connected to the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. [1] A federal grand jury in Minnesota indicted Castro on the false statements charge on Wednesday. [1] Castro is accused of opening fire through the front door of a Minneapolis home, hitting Sosa-Celis, and then lying about the events before the shooting. [1] The charges came after Castro was released from a Texas jail last week. [1] Castro faces separate state charges in Minnesota of assault and false reporting of a crime related to the same incident. [1] Federal prosecutors were barred by officials in Washington from pursuing civil rights charges against Castro. [1] News reports confirm that federal prosecutors have charged a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with lying to investigators about the events leading up to the shooting of a Venezuelan man. [5]

Details of the January Shooting

Castro is accused of opening fire through the front door of a Minneapolis home during Operation Metro Surge on Jan. 14, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg. [1] The incident came amid the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration in Minnesota. [1] Castro is accused of opening fire through the front door of a Minneapolis home, hitting Sosa-Celis, and then lying about the events before the shooting. [1] The shooting of the Venezuelan migrant occurred during an ICE operation in Minneapolis. [5] What followed was at least one night of unrest in Minneapolis. [1]

Disputed Initial Accounts and Dropped Charges

Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and another man of beating an officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel during a confrontation. [1] However, the charges were dropped after video evidence showed the officers may have lied about the encounter, prompting an investigation. [1] The charges were dropped after video evidence contradicted officers' accounts. [1] Initial accusations against Sosa-Celis and another man of beating an officer were dropped after video evidence contradicted officers' accounts, leading to an investigation. [1]

Extradition Battle Between States

Castro was released from a Texas jail last week after a federal judge blocked Minnesota's extradition attempt and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant. [1] Under Texas law and barring extradition, Castro must be released after 90 days of detention. [1] Last month, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an unsuccessful request for a temporary restraining order in an effort to block Castro’s release or to order his return to Minnesota. [1] Texas Gov. Greg Abbott investigates whether the officer legally qualifies as a fugitive. [1] Abbott taunted far-left officials with a fiery warning over the ICE extradition fight. [1]

Broader Context of the Investigation

On Wednesday, ProPublica reported that federal prosecutors were barred by officials in Washington from pursuing civil rights charges against Castro. [1] Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE, the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department for comment. [1] The Associated Press contributed to this report. [1] Federal authorities initially accused Sosa-Celis and another man of beating an officer, but those claims were dropped following video evidence. [1]

What to watch next: Castro remains charged separately in Minnesota with assault and false reporting of a crime, while the blocked extradition leaves his return to face those state charges in question. [1]