ICE Agent Charged After Nonfatal Shooting of Venezuelan Man in Minneapolis

A federal immigration enforcement operation has led to criminal charges against a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, following a shooting that authorities say was misrepresented in official reports.

"Federal badges do not confer immunity from state charges."
— Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty

Incident Timeline and Details

The Shooting

On January 14, 2025, ICE agent Christian Castro, 52, and another officer pursued Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna following a traffic stop in Minneapolis. Aljorna fled, leading officers on a vehicle chase, according to court testimony.

The pursuit ended at an apartment duplex in north Minneapolis, where Aljorna lived with his cousin, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

Castro fired his weapon through the front door of the residence, striking Sosa-Celis in the thigh. The bullet then lodged in the wall of a child's bedroom. Witnesses reported that Sosa-Celis was inside the home when the shot was fired. Children aged one and three were present in the residence at the time.

Initial Federal Charges

Following the incident, federal authorities charged Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with assaulting a federal officer. The criminal complaint alleged that the two men attacked Castro with a snow shovel and broom handle. Federal prosecutors initially presented this account in court, and a federal judge ordered the men detained pending trial.

Charges Dismissed

On February 7, 2025, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel N. Rosen moved to dismiss all charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, preventing the charges from being refiled. Rosen cited "newly discovered evidence" that was "materially inconsistent with the allegations" made in the criminal complaint.

Video footage released by the City of Minneapolis, recorded from a distance in low light, showed Aljorna running toward the house, discarding a snow shovel, and a struggle near the front steps. The footage did not clearly depict the moment of the shooting, but eyewitness accounts and defense attorneys stated that Sosa-Celis was retreating into his home when the officer fired.

Federal Investigation into Officer Statements

On February 10, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that two ICE officers appeared to have made false statements under oath. The officers were placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

ICE Director Todd Lyons stated that lying under oath is a serious federal offense and that the officers could face termination and criminal prosecution. The U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice opened a joint investigation into whether the officers provided false testimony.

"Lying under oath is a serious federal offense."
— ICE Interim Director Todd Lyons

State Charges and Arrest

Charges Filed

On February 13, 2025, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime against Christian Castro. The charges were issued by a Hennepin County judge, and a warrant was issued for Castro's arrest.

Arrest

Castro was arrested on February 16, 2025, in Cameron County, Texas, by Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) investigators with assistance from Texas Rangers and the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG). The Hennepin County Attorney's Office confirmed the arrest.

Legal and Official Statements

• Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty: Stated that "today's arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro" and affirmed that federal badges do not confer immunity from state charges. Moriarty expects the defense may attempt to move the case to federal court.
• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison: Stated that "federal agents should be held to the same legal standards as everyone else."
• ICE Spokesperson: Described the state prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
• DHS Office of Inspector General: Denied involvement in or presence at the arrest, contradicting earlier claims by the Hennepin County Attorney's office.
• ICE Interim Director Todd Lyons: Confirmed the federal investigation into false statements and noted that officers may face termination and criminal prosecution.

Legal Status of Sosa-Celis and Aljorna

Both Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were legally present in the United States at the time of the incident. Sosa-Celis holds Temporary Protected Status.

Following the dismissal of federal charges, ICE re-detained both men on immigration violations, but a federal judge ordered their release, citing their nonviolent criminal histories and family connections. Both are currently free under court order and seeking legal status.

Related Incident: Operation Metro Surge

The shooting occurred during "Operation Metro Surge," a Trump administration immigration enforcement campaign that deployed approximately 3,000 federal agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul area beginning in December 2025. The operation reportedly resulted in over 4,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants.

The Trump administration announced the termination of Operation Metro Surge on February 13, 2025.

Other Incidents Under Investigation

Two fatal shootings by federal officers during the same operation remain under investigation:

• Renee Macklin Good: Shot and killed by federal officers on January 7, 2025
• Alex Jeffrey Pretti: Shot and killed by federal officers on January 24, 2025

No charges have been filed in those deaths. Hennepin County has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to obtain evidence in those cases. State and county prosecutors have reported challenges in obtaining information from federal authorities regarding these three shootings.

Broader Scrutiny of Federal Agent Use-of-Force

The Sosa-Celis shooting is part of a broader pattern of scrutiny regarding federal immigration enforcement. In a separate incident, Marimar Martinez was shot five times by agents. DHS stated agents were "boxed in" and "afraid for their lives," but video evidence presented by Martinez's attorney reportedly contradicted this account.

DHS has consistently stated in these incidents that agents acted out of fear for their lives, a defense aligned with the U.S. Supreme Court's 1989 ruling requiring "objectively reasonable" belief of danger to justify use of force.