The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suspended agent of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Christian Castro without pay while investigating the criminal charges against him for the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant during an immigration operation in Minneapolis, as confirmed by a senior agency official to FOX 9.
The measure was announced a day after Castro was released from the Cameron County jail in Texas, as the legal 90-day detention period had elapsed without his extradition to Minnesota being completed.
The agent faces four charges of second-degree assault and one for falsely reporting a crime to the authorities in Hennepin County, related to the shooting on January 14, 2026 during Operation Metro Surge.
According to the criminal complaint, Castro chased Julio César Sosa-Celis, a 24-year-old Venezuelan who was legally in the country, to a house and shot through the door, injuring him in the leg. The bullet ultimately struck the wall of a minor's bedroom.
Castro claimed to have acted in self-defense after being attacked with a broom and a shovel, but prosecutors argue that surveillance recordings, witness testimonies, and physical evidence contradict his account.
In addition, due to his statements, Sosa-Celis was arrested and initially charged with a crime; the charges against him were later dismissed.
The DHS warned that the Federal Prosecutor's Office is actively investigating the sworn statements related to the case. "Lying under oath is a serious federal crime," the official stated, adding that the officers involved could face termination and criminal charges.
Castro had been held since May 29, when the Texas Rangers arrested him in Cameron County following the issuance of a national arrest warrant.
The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, refused to sign the extradition order, questioning whether the agent could be legally considered a "fugitive" since he returned to Texas under ICE orders.
The Cameron County Sheriff, Manuel Treviño, confirmed Castro's release at around 7:00 a.m. on Thursday.
"This morning we released agent Castro. We have already complied with the regulations and what the law requires of us. Now it is up to the state of Minnesota and the governor to decide what will happen," he declared.
The Attorney General of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, had sued Abbott on August 18 to compel him to extradite the agent and requested a temporary restraining order to prevent his release.
Federal judge Fernando Rodríguez Jr. denied that request on Wednesday, ruling that the case was premature because Abbott had not yet formally rejected the extradition.
Ellison also warned of a possible risk of escape, citing phone conversations between Castro and a woman in Mexico regarding the purchase of a home there.
The shooting of Sosa-Celis occurred within the context of a series of violent incidents during Operation Metro Surge that shook Minneapolis in early 2026.
It happened a week after the death of Renee Good and ten days before the passing of Alex Pretti, ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, both of whom were shot by federal agents during the same operation.
Este caso forma parte de un panorama migratorio en constante cambio. Sigue toda la actualidad sobre operativos, agentes y políticas en nuestra sección de
Related videos:
Filed under: