ICE agent charged with assault, lying about shooting

A federal immigration officer, Christian Castro, has been arrested in Minneapolis on assault charges related to a shooting incident involving a Venezuelan man in January. According to prosecutors, Castro turned himself in to authorities and was booked into Hennepin County jail on an outstanding warrant. However, his lawyer, Rolando Cantu, maintains that Castro always intended to appear in court to face the charges and disputes the claim that he might flee to Mexico.

The incident in question took place on January 14th, during Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration crackdown led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Castro shot and wounded Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was inside his own apartment with children present. Initially, Castro claimed that Sosa-Celis and other individuals had attacked him with a snow shovel and a broom, a claim that was disproved by video evidence.

He also made false statements to investigators about the circumstances of the shooting, leading to an indictment for lying to federal agents.

Castro had been released on bond earlier this month after an initial appearance in US district court in McAllen, Texas. However, his attempts to evade arrest were thwarted when he returned to Minnesota, leading to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican and supporter of Trump's deportation policies, refused to sign extradition papers, citing concerns about Castro's status as a "flight risk" and whether he could be considered a fugitive from justice.

Castro was eventually re-arrested in Texas following a federal grand jury indictment in early September and has since been suspended from his ICE duties. He is set to make his first state court appearance in Minneapolis on Thursday and an initial appearance in US district court in St. Paul on Friday.