A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of firing a shot through a door at a Venezuelan-born man during an immigration enforcement operation under the Trump administration has entered a not guilty plea to federal charges of lying to the FBI about the incident. Christian Castro, 52, faced a U.S. magistrate judge in St. Paul, Minnesota, following a six-count federal indictment related to the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis on January 14.
Castro’s defense attorney, Daniel Gerdts, refrained from commenting on the case after Castro’s plea. The previous day, Castro pleaded not guilty to state charges of second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime in Hennepin County, Minneapolis, where the shooting occurred.
According to Hennepin County district attorney Mary Moriarty, Castro allegedly fabricated a story to justify shooting through a door into a residence with multiple occupants, resulting in a bullet lodging in a child’s bedroom wall. Sosa-Celis, 24, sustained a gunshot wound to his thigh during the incident.
Castro is accused in both state and federal cases of providing false information to investigators by claiming he was attacked with a broom handle and a snow shovel before discharging his firearm. The shooting took place as part of the federal government’s Operation Metro Surge in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, where ICE and Customs and Border Patrol agents were involved in three firearm-related incidents.
ICE placed Castro on administrative leave in February, and he is currently suspended without pay pending the resolution of his legal proceedings. After the shooting, Castro fled to Texas and was arrested in May on state charges filed by Moriarty, prompting a refusal by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to sign an extradition warrant citing ongoing state and federal investigations.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison criticized Abbott’s actions, accusing him of obstructing justice. Despite legal challenges, Castro voluntarily returned to Minnesota after his release from a 90-day detention in Texas. Surrendering his passport, Castro is awaiting further legal proceedings.
The fatal shootings linked to ICE operations in Minnesota have sparked outrage among activists and lawmakers, highlighting concerns over immigration enforcement policies. The Operation Metro Surge initiative, targeting individuals without legal status in the U.S., has faced criticism for its impact on due process rights and the treatment of legal refugees.
While the Justice Department initiated a civil rights investigation into one of the fatalities, the fate of the probes remains uncertain. The Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics have been scrutinized for their implications on vulnerable populations and legal processes, raising calls for accountability and reform.
