Christian Castro, an immigration officer with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was arrested in downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters. The arrest occurred eight months after a confrontation that became a flashpoint over President Donald Trump’s deportation sweeps. Agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension took Castro into custody and booked him into the Hennepin County jail on an outstanding arrest warrant.
This development follows a federal indictment charging Castro with making false statements. It is the first time the US Justice Department has prosecuted a federal law enforcement officer for wrongdoing arising from the massive Minneapolis deployment known as Operation Metro Surge. This operation was part of a wider immigration crackdown from President Donald Trump, which led to weeks of protests and clashes between federal agents and demonstrators.
The case against Castro stems from a January 14 incident where he shot and wounded Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national. According to the state charges, Castro shot the man in the leg through the door of his apartment while children were present inside the home. The charges also include false reporting of a crime. Castro allegedly told his superiors at the US Department of Homeland Security that Sosa-Celis and others attacked him with a broom and a snow shovel. This claim was later disproved by video evidence.
The path to this arrest was complicated
After the shooting, Castro returned to Texas. Minnesota officials issued a warrant for his arrest, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign extradition papers sent by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Governor Abbott, a Republican and supporter of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation sweeps, questioned whether Castro could be considered a fugitive from justice. He noted that the Department of Homeland Security had reassigned the agent to Texas after the incident.
Castro spent 90 days in a Texas county jail until he was released on August 27. This happened after a federal judge in Texas denied a request from Minnesota to immediately order his extradition. Castro was re-arrested in Texas following his federal grand jury indictment in early September. He was released on bond from federal custody earlier this month after an initial appearance in US District Court in McAllen, Texas.
The process of his return to Minnesota involved a specific agreement with law enforcement. His attorney, Daniel Gerdts, stated that Castro voluntarily drove to Minneapolis from Texas to turn himself in to state authorities at the lawyer’s office. He ended up being arrested minutes before he was due to arrive. Another lawyer for the agent, Rolando Cantu, disputed assertions from Hennepin County prosecutors that Castro might flee to Mexico. He stated, “He wants his day in court.”
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who brought the state case, addressed the situation regarding the extradition dispute. She said, “Governor Abbott’s attempt to shield Mr. Castro from accountability has failed. We look forward to commencing our prosecution.”
The Department of Homeland Security has suspended Castro from his position at ICE. A person familiar with the case has confirmed that a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Sosa-Celis has been opened. Castro is expected to make his first state court appearance in Minneapolis on Thursday. Following that, he will make an initial appearance in US District Court in St. Paul on Friday morning to face the charges in the federal indictment.
Published: Sep 17, 2026 03:45 pm