Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?
ICE officer Christian Castro shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis in January 2026. DHS initially called it self-defense against an armed ambush; ICE later said officers' sworn testimony appeared untruthful. Castro faces state assault and federal false-statement charges.
Claim in dispute
Officer Christian Castro was ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two other men, and fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Castro, then 52, fired the shot while working as a deportation officer during Operation Metro Surge, the large federal immigration-enforcement deployment to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area in early 2026. ProPublica (opens in a new tab) reports it was one of three shootings by immigration agents in Minneapolis during that operation; the other two were fatal.
DHS's January 15 release (opens in a new tab) said Castro pursued Sosa-Celis on foot after a traffic stop and vehicle chase, that two other men then attacked Castro with a snow shovel and broom handle as he struggled with Sosa-Celis, and that Castro fired a defensive shot fearing for his life. Secretary Kristi Noem called it "an attempted murder of federal law enforcement." Federal prosecutors charged Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with assaulting Castro on that basis.
MPR reported (opens in a new tab) that Sosa-Celis and Aljorna gave investigators a different account: Sosa-Celis said he held a shovel but never used it, and had pulled Aljorna away from the struggle; Aljorna said he threw a broom only after breaking free, and that Sosa-Celis was shot through the door. Habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of their partners said neither man used or threatened a weapon against Castro. A federal FBI affidavit reported that investigators were unable to locate a shell casing or bullet impact on the home consistent with DHS's account, and that Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said federal authorities were not cooperating with its investigation.
On February 12, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office moved to dismiss the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, telling the court that newly discovered evidence was materially inconsistent with the allegations. The next day, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said (opens in a new tab) a joint ICE-DOJ review of video evidence indicated the sworn testimony of two officers appeared untruthful, and placed them on administrative leave.
Minnesota prosecutors charged Castro in May 2026. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said (opens in a new tab) Castro "was not hit with any shovels, brooms, or weapons of any kind," was alone in the yard when he fired through the closed door, and that the bullet struck Sosa-Celis's leg before lodging in the wall of a child's room. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said (opens in a new tab) DHS's January 15 release "remains on the DHS website" uncorrected. Attorney General Keith Ellison supported the charges, saying "nobody is above the law, including ICE agents."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott refused to sign Castro's extradition warrant after Minnesota authorities arrested him in Texas in May; Castro was held roughly 90 days in a Texas jail while Minnesota's Attorney General sued Abbott to compel extradition. A federal judge in Texas denied Minnesota's extradition request in August; Castro was released from Texas custody and later drove to Minnesota with his wife, where he turned himself in on September 17, 2026, and Minnesota's suit against Abbott was dropped. The DOJ's September 4 indictment (opens in a new tab) separately charged Castro with six counts of making materially false statements to an FBI agent who interviewed him the night of the shooting; DHS has called Minnesota's prosecution of Castro "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt," saying only federal authorities have jurisdiction. Castro pleaded not guilty to the federal charges on September 18, 2026.
ProPublica also reported (opens in a new tab) that Justice Department leadership in Washington overruled the Minnesota federal prosecutor handling the case, who had been preparing a civil-rights charge of deprivation of rights under color of law — the charge brought against Derek Chauvin — and directed that Castro be charged only with false statements instead, over the prosecutor's objection. A third man DHS initially named, Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, does not appear in the later state or federal charging documents; Sahan Journal reported (opens in a new tab) that a federal district court found his own immigration detention unlawful and ordered his release, and that he was described in a Bureau of Criminal Apprehension declaration as one of three key witnesses to the shooting.
The allegations against Castro have not been proven at trial. Both the state and federal cases were ongoing as of this writing.
Timeline
11 timeline entries on this page. Dates: January 14, 2026 to September 18, 2026
January 2026
2 events
ICE officer Christian Castro shoots Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in north Minneapolis
Incident
During a foot pursuit that followed a traffic stop and vehicle chase in north Minneapolis, ICE officer Christian Castro fired a single shot through the closed front door of a duplex. The bullet struck 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg before lodging in the wall of a child's room; Sosa-Celis survived. DHS and the criminal charging documents that followed give different accounts of what led to the shot.
[01]DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons
Source excerpt
Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life.
DHS's original press release on the shooting, read in full on 2026-09-22. It names three men — Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna (a spelling later reports give as "Aljorna") and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma — as having violently attacked the officer, and quotes Secretary Noem calling it an attempted murder of federal law enforcement. The release's second paragraph gives the incident date as "January 14, 2025", an apparent typographical error; the release date and all other dates in the document, and every other source, place the shooting on January 14, 2026. As of the access date, this release remains published on DHS's website without a correction or retraction, a fact separately noted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (see the Hennepin/Minnesota Attorney General source below).
DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi Noem[02]Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements
Source excerpt
As Person 1 and Person 2 entered the residence and began to close the front door, Castro stood up, drew his service weapon, and fired a single shot through the front door.
DOJ's press release on the six-count federal indictment, read in full on 2026-09-22. It identifies U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen and describes the indictment's account of the shooting and of what Castro told an FBI agent that night, which the indictment alleges was false. It notes an indictment is merely an allegation and Castro is presumed innocent, and that DOJ "has not ruled out additional charges."
Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements · United States Department of JusticeFull press releaseFederal prosecutors charge Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with assaulting Castro
Claim
Based on the account DHS released, federal prosecutors charged Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and Alfredo Aljorna with assaulting Castro during the encounter.
[03]Man shot in leg by ICE in Minneapolis did not attack officer, women say
Source excerpt
At no time did either Alfredo or Julio use or threaten to use a weapon, nor wield any object that could be deployed as a weapon, against the man assaulting Alfredo.
MPR's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of Aljorna's and Sosa-Celis's partners and of an FBI affidavit's account of investigators' interviews with Sosa-Celis and Aljorna. It reports that Sosa-Celis told investigators he had a snow shovel in his hands but "never used it," and that Aljorna said he threw a broom at the officer after breaking free and that Sosa-Celis was shot through the door. It also reports the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's statement that federal authorities were not cooperating with the state investigation.
Man shot in leg by ICE in Minneapolis did not attack officer, women saySections describing the habeas corpus petitions and the FBI affidavit's account of Sosa-Celis's and Aljorna's interviews[04]Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own Prosecutor
Source excerpt
This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough.
ProPublica's investigation, read in full on 2026-09-22, reporting that Justice Department leadership in Washington overruled the Minnesota-based prosecutor who wanted to charge Castro with deprivation of rights under color of law — the charge brought against Derek Chauvin — and directed a false-statements charge instead, based on an email reviewed by ProPublica. It also reports that the shooting was one of three by immigration agents in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, the other two fatal, and that Castro was held roughly 90 days in a Texas jail during the extradition dispute.
Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own ProsecutorParagraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements charge
28 days between recorded events
February 2026
1 event
Federal prosecutors move to dismiss the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice
The U.S. Attorney's Office asked the court to dismiss the assault charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, telling the court that newly discovered evidence was materially inconsistent with the allegations against them. A federal judge granted the dismissal.
[05]ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting
Source excerpt
A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements.
Politico's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, quoting Lyons's statement announcing that two officers were placed on administrative leave. It reports that the announcement came a day after federal prosecutors dropped the criminal cases against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, and links a court filing in which prosecutors say "newly discovered evidence" contradicts the officers' account. A later ProPublica investigation paraphrases the same Feb. 13 statement with different wording ("Video evidence has revealed the sworn testimony of the two agents appeared to be false"); this record treats Politico's block-quoted text, filed the same day as the statement, as the more reliable rendering of Lyons's exact words.
ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting · PoliticoSecond and third paragraphs, quoting Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons's statement[04]Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own Prosecutor
Source excerpt
This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough.
ProPublica's investigation, read in full on 2026-09-22, reporting that Justice Department leadership in Washington overruled the Minnesota-based prosecutor who wanted to charge Castro with deprivation of rights under color of law — the charge brought against Derek Chauvin — and directed a false-statements charge instead, based on an email reviewed by ProPublica. It also reports that the shooting was one of three by immigration agents in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, the other two fatal, and that Castro was held roughly 90 days in a Texas jail during the extradition dispute.
Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own ProsecutorParagraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements charge
95 days between recorded events
May 2026
2 events
Minnesota prosecutors charge Castro with assault and false reporting
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office, with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, charged Castro with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime, alleging he fired unprovoked through the closed front door.
[06]HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro Surge
Source excerpt
A violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it. He shot through the door of a home with many people, including children, inside, while fortunately missing several others.
KARE 11's report of Moriarty's May 18, 2026 news conference announcing the charges, read in full on 2026-09-22. It quotes Moriarty saying Castro's "federal badge does not make him immune from state charges" and that Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "were here lawfully."
HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro SurgeQuotations from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's news conference[07]Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
Contrary to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) press release on January 15, Mr. Castro was not hit with any shovels, brooms, or weapons of any kind at any time during this incident.
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office's release, read in full on 2026-09-22, announcing four felony second-degree-assault counts and one misdemeanor false-reporting count against Castro, filed jointly with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. It quotes the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's own press release directly, including its statement that the DHS release "along with its dozens of false statements, remains on the DHS website."
Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press releaseCastro is arrested in Texas on Minnesota's nationwide warrant
Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension arrested Castro in Texas after a Minnesota judge issued a nationwide warrant. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott subsequently refused to sign an extradition warrant sought by Minnesota authorities.
[08]ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
81 days between recorded events
August 2026
3 events
Minnesota Attorney General Ellison sues Texas Governor Abbott to compel Castro's extradition
Ellison filed a federal lawsuit seeking to compel Texas to extradite Castro to face the Minnesota charges, after Abbott's office declined to comply with the extradition request.
[09]Ellison sues Texas governor to extradite ICE agent in Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to force the state to turn over an ICE agent charged with shooting and injuring a man in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge.
MPR's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of Ellison's August 18, 2026 lawsuit against Abbott, filed alongside Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
A federal judge in Texas denies Minnesota's extradition request
A federal judge in Brownsville, Texas refused to order Castro's extradition to Minnesota, clearing the way for his release from Texas custody.
[10]Judge denies Minnesota bid to extradite ICE officer from Texas, paving way for his release
Source excerpt
A federal judge on Wednesday refused to order Texas to extradite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
The Los Angeles Times' report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of a federal judge in Brownsville, Texas denying Minnesota's extradition request on August 26, 2026.
Castro is released from Texas custody
Following the extradition denial, Castro was released from the Texas jail where he had been held roughly 90 days.
[08]ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
[04]Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own Prosecutor
Source excerpt
This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough.
ProPublica's investigation, read in full on 2026-09-22, reporting that Justice Department leadership in Washington overruled the Minnesota-based prosecutor who wanted to charge Castro with deprivation of rights under color of law — the charge brought against Derek Chauvin — and directed a false-statements charge instead, based on an email reviewed by ProPublica. It also reports that the shooting was one of three by immigration agents in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, the other two fatal, and that Castro was held roughly 90 days in a Texas jail during the extradition dispute.
Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own ProsecutorParagraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements charge
September 2026
3 events
A federal grand jury indicts Castro on six counts of making false statements to the FBI
Source release
U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that a federal grand jury indicted Castro on six counts of making materially false statements to an FBI agent who interviewed him the night of the shooting. Castro was arraigned before a U.S. magistrate judge in the Southern District of Texas and released on a $75,000 bond with a GPS ankle monitor.
[02]Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements
Source excerpt
As Person 1 and Person 2 entered the residence and began to close the front door, Castro stood up, drew his service weapon, and fired a single shot through the front door.
DOJ's press release on the six-count federal indictment, read in full on 2026-09-22. It identifies U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen and describes the indictment's account of the shooting and of what Castro told an FBI agent that night, which the indictment alleges was false. It notes an indictment is merely an allegation and Castro is presumed innocent, and that DOJ "has not ruled out additional charges."
Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements · United States Department of JusticeFull press release[08]ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
Castro turns himself in and appears in Minnesota state court; Ellison drops the extradition lawsuit
Castro drove from Texas to Minnesota and turned himself in, appearing in Hennepin County District Court on the state assault charges. He was released on conditions including electronic monitoring and a bar on contacting other ICE agents. Minnesota's Attorney General subsequently dropped the extradition lawsuit against Texas.
[08]ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
Castro pleads not guilty to the federal false-statement charges
Castro appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge in St. Paul and pleaded not guilty to the six federal counts of making false statements about the shooting.
[08]ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Source excerpt
It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers.
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Officer Christian Castro was ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two other men, and fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Sources (1)
- DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi Noem
Disputed claim
Castro was not attacked with any shovel, broom or other weapon. He was standing alone in the front yard when he drew his weapon and fired a single shot through the closed front door of the home, after Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had already gone inside.
Sources (3)
- HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro SurgeQuotations from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's news conference
- Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press release
- Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements · United States Department of JusticeFull press release
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 5. Dates: January 15, 2026 to May 18, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
6 responses on this page
Keith Ellison "Nobody is above the law, including ICE agents. The State of Minnesota must hold people accountable for violating the law and for harming Minnesotans. I support the filing of these charges, and I am working closely with Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty to ensure we reach a just outcome here."
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press releaseCondemnedResponding to: Castro was not attacked with any shovel, broom or other weapon. He was standing alone in the front yard when he drew his weapon and fired a single shot through the closed front door of the home, after Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had already gone inside.
Why this label?
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. Ellison endorses the charges against Castro and frames his conduct as harm requiring accountability, which condemns the shooting.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison praised the state charges against Castro, saying "nobody is above the law, including ICE agents," and that Minnesota "must hold people accountable for violating the law and for harming Minnesotans."
Role at the time: Attorney General of Minnesota, in an official press release
Before the statement
Ellison's office jointly filed the charges against Castro with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on May 18, 2026.
After the statement
Ellison later sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to compel Castro's extradition after Abbott refused to sign the warrant.
Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press releaseMary Moriarty "A violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it. He shot through the door of a home with many people, including children, inside, while fortunately missing several others. Mr. Castro is an ICE agent, but his federal badge does not make him immune from state charges for his criminal conduct in Minnesota."
Open source (opens in a new tab)HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro SurgeQuotations from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's news conferenceRead the official statement (opens in a new tab)Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press releaseCondemnedResponding to: Castro was not attacked with any shovel, broom or other weapon. He was standing alone in the front yard when he drew his weapon and fired a single shot through the closed front door of the home, after Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had already gone inside.
Why this label?
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. Moriarty expressly says Castro, not the men he shot at, committed the violent crime that night, and rejects the idea that his federal role excuses his conduct. That is a direct condemnation of the shooting.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
Announcing state charges against Castro, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said "a violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it," that he fired through the door of an occupied home with children inside, and that his "federal badge does not make him immune" from state prosecution. She also said Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "were here lawfully."
Role at the time: Hennepin County Attorney, at a news conference announcing the charges
Before the statement
Moriarty's office, with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, filed four second-degree assault counts and one false-reporting count against Castro that day, alleging he was not attacked and fired through the closed door while alone in the yard.
After the statement
Moriarty said Castro would not be eligible for a presidential pardon if convicted in state court, since the charges are under state law. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott subsequently refused to extradite Castro from Texas.
HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro SurgeQuotations from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's news conferenceAttorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shootingFull release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press releaseGabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma "Gabriel's life has been turned upside down by ICE's actions in Minnesota. The district court order finding his detention unlawful and ordering his release, along with the decision to dismiss charges against his neighbors, vindicates the unjustness of his arrest, detention, and the deliberate smearing of his name and broadcasting of his photo along with unfounded allegations, but it doesn't give him back the weeks he spent in detention. We look forward to further investigation into this matter and hope that those responsible face consequences."
Open source (opens in a new tab)Home boarded up at immigration shooting scene in north MinneapolisParagraphs quoting Sosa-Celis's attorney Robin Wolpert and Jeanette Boerner, director of Adult Representation Services, on behalf of Gabriel Hernandez-LedezmaCondemnedCase context: Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?
Why this label?
Relative to ICE's conduct toward Hernandez-Ledezma during and after the January 14 encounter, his attorney's statement condemns his detention as unlawful and unjust and calls for accountability. It is recorded on this case because Hernandez-Ledezma was one of the three men DHS's original account named as attacking Castro, and the statement responds directly to that dismissal and to his own detention arising from the same encounter; it targets ICE's broader conduct rather than Castro's shooting specifically.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
After a federal district court found his own immigration detention unlawful and ordered his release, a statement from Jeanette Boerner, director of Adult Representation Services, on behalf of Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma said his "life has been turned upside down by ICE's actions in Minnesota," and that the court's ruling and the dismissal of the charges against his neighbors Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "vindicates the unjustness of his arrest, detention, and the deliberate smearing of his name and broadcasting of his photo," though it "doesn't give him back the weeks he spent in detention."
Role at the time: Named by DHS as one of three men present during the January 14 encounter; he held Temporary Protected Status and had no pending immigration-court matters. Statement issued through his legal representative.
Before the statement
DHS's January 15 release had named Hernandez-Ledezma, along with Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, as one of the three men who attacked Castro. A Bureau of Criminal Apprehension declaration filed in his habeas case described him as one of three key witnesses to the shooting whom state investigators had been unable to interview because he was in immigration detention.
After the statement
Sahan Journal reports that agents forcibly broke down the door of Hernandez-Ledezma's separate unit of the duplex while arresting people in the unit upstairs, and that he had Temporary Protected Status and no pending immigration-court issues. Unlike Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, he does not appear in the later state or federal charging documents against Castro; his own immigration status regarding the January 14 encounter beyond the habeas ruling is not addressed in the sources reviewed for this record.
Home boarded up at immigration shooting scene in north MinneapolisParagraphs quoting Sosa-Celis's attorney Robin Wolpert and Jeanette Boerner, director of Adult Representation Services, on behalf of Gabriel Hernandez-LedezmaU.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementDirectly involved "A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements. Both officers have been immediately placed on administrative leave pending the completion of a thorough internal investigation….The U.S. Attorney's Office is actively investigating these false statements."
Open source (opens in a new tab)ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting · PoliticoSecond and third paragraphs, quoting Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons's statementOpen source (opens in a new tab)Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own ProsecutorParagraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements chargeChallenged the characterizationResponding to: Officer Christian Castro was ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two other men, and fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life.
Why this label?
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. Lyons does not say the shooting itself was unjustified; he withdraws the department's reliance on the sworn account that had justified it, by saying video evidence indicates that account appears untruthful. That directly disputes the factual characterization DHS and Noem gave on January 15 without itself condemning Castro's conduct, so challenges_characterization fits better than condemns. It supersedes DHS's January 15 institutional defense because it is the department's own reversal of the account that defense relied on.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
A day after federal prosecutors dropped the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said a joint ICE-DOJ review of video evidence indicated the sworn testimony of two officers "appears to have made untruthful statements," and that both were placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
Role at the time: Federal immigration-enforcement agency, in a statement announced by Acting Director Todd Lyons
Before the statement
On February 12, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office moved to dismiss the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, telling the court that newly discovered evidence was materially inconsistent with the allegations against them.
After the statement
Lyons's statement did not name Castro or the other officer. Minnesota state prosecutors charged Castro in May 2026; federal prosecutors indicted him on false-statement charges in September 2026.
ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting · PoliticoSecond and third paragraphs, quoting Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons's statementTrump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own ProsecutorParagraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements chargeKristi Noem "What we saw last night in Minneapolis was an attempted murder of federal law enforcement. Our officer was ambushed and attacked by three individuals who beat him with snow shovels and the handles of brooms. Fearing for his life, the officer fired a defensive shot."
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi NoemDefended or excusedResponding to: Officer Christian Castro was ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two other men, and fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life.
Why this label?
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. Noem expressly characterizes the shooting as a defensive response to a life-threatening attack, directly excusing Castro's use of force.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
Quoted in DHS's press release, Secretary Kristi Noem called the encounter "an attempted murder of federal law enforcement," said the officer was "ambushed and attacked by three individuals who beat him with snow shovels and the handles of brooms," and said he fired "a defensive shot" because he feared for his life.
Role at the time: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, quoted in a DHS press release
Before the statement
Noem's quote appears in the same DHS release describing the shooting; it was issued the day after the encounter.
After the statement
Noem went on to criticize Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for "encouraging impeding and assault against our law enforcement," a separate line of criticism not about the shooting itself.
DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi NoemU.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementDirectly involved "Attempting to evade arrest, Sosa-Celis fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car, and proceeded to flee on foot. The law enforcement officer pursued Sosa-Celis also on foot, caught up to him, and attempted to apprehend him when Sosa-Celis began to resist and violently assault the officer. While Sosa-Celis and law enforcement were in a struggle on the ground, two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle. As the officer was being ambushed and attacked by the two individuals, Sosa-Celis got loose and began striking the officer with a shovel or broom stick. Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life."
Read the official statement (opens in a new tab)DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi NoemDefended or excusedResponding to: Officer Christian Castro was ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis and two other men, and fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life.
Why this label?
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. DHS's account directly argues Castro's shot was a justified defensive response to a life-threatening ambush, expressly excusing the use of force.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
In a press release the day after the shooting, DHS said Castro pursued Sosa-Celis on foot after a vehicle chase, that two other men then attacked Castro with a snow shovel and broom handle as he struggled with Sosa-Celis, and that Castro fired a single defensive shot because he feared for his life. The release named Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma as the three men involved and called all three "violent criminal illegal aliens."
Role at the time: Federal immigration-enforcement agency, in a press release published on DHS's website
Before the statement
The shooting occurred the previous evening, January 14, 2026, in north Minneapolis during a targeted immigration enforcement operation.
After the statement
DHS's release did not name the officer. Sosa-Celis and Aljorna were federally charged with assaulting the officer on the basis of this account. This press release remained published, uncorrected, on DHS's website as of this record's access date.
DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons · U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFull press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi Noem
Sources
(11)
Official statement
DHS Releases More Details About the Three Violent Criminal Illegal Aliens Who Violently Beat a Law Enforcement Officer with Weapons
Relevant passage: Full press release, including the quotation from Secretary Kristi Noem
Excerpt
"Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life."
About this source
DHS's original press release on the shooting, read in full on 2026-09-22. It names three men — Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna (a spelling later reports give as "Aljorna") and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma — as having violently attacked the officer, and quotes Secretary Noem calling it an attempted murder of federal law enforcement. The release's second paragraph gives the incident date as "January 14, 2025", an apparent typographical error; the release date and all other dates in the document, and every other source, place the shooting on January 14, 2026. As of the access date, this release remains published on DHS's website without a correction or retraction, a fact separately noted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office (see the Hennepin/Minnesota Attorney General source below).
- Author
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Judge denies Minnesota bid to extradite ICE officer from Texas, paving way for his release
Relevant passage: Opening two paragraphs
Excerpt
"A federal judge on Wednesday refused to order Texas to extradite an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with shooting a man and lying about it during the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis."
About this source
The Los Angeles Times' report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of a federal judge in Brownsville, Texas denying Minnesota's extradition request on August 26, 2026.
- Author
- Valerie Gonzalez
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Ellison sues Texas governor to extradite ICE agent in Minneapolis shooting
Relevant passage: Opening paragraphs
Excerpt
"Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to force the state to turn over an ICE agent charged with shooting and injuring a man in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge."
About this source
MPR's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of Ellison's August 18, 2026 lawsuit against Abbott, filed alongside Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
- Author
- Minnesota Public Radio
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Home boarded up at immigration shooting scene in north Minneapolis
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting Sosa-Celis's attorney Robin Wolpert and Jeanette Boerner, director of Adult Representation Services, on behalf of Gabriel Hernandez-Ledezma
Excerpt
"Gabriel's life has been turned upside down by ICE's actions in Minnesota. The district court order finding his detention unlawful and ordering his release, along with the decision to dismiss charges against his neighbors, vindicates the unjustness of his arrest, detention"
About this source
Sahan Journal's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, on the dismissal of charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna and its aftermath. It reports that a district court found Hernandez-Ledezma's own immigration detention unlawful and ordered his release, and quotes his attorney's statement; it also quotes Sosa-Celis's attorney Robin Wolpert calling the case "a grave injustice" and "a 180-degree turn." A BCA declaration described Hernandez-Ledezma as one of three key witnesses to the shooting whom state investigators had been unable to interview because he was in immigration detention.
- Author
- Sahan Journal
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump's DOJ Blocked Serious ICE Shooting Charge Over Objections of Its Own Prosecutor
Relevant passage: Paragraphs on Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans's email and on the department's decision to bring only a false-statements charge
Excerpt
"This is being directed by the Main Justice and the US Attorney. I objected in the strongest possible terms and fought it as hard as I could. It wasn't enough."
About this source
ProPublica's investigation, read in full on 2026-09-22, reporting that Justice Department leadership in Washington overruled the Minnesota-based prosecutor who wanted to charge Castro with deprivation of rights under color of law — the charge brought against Derek Chauvin — and directed a false-statements charge instead, based on an email reviewed by ProPublica. It also reports that the shooting was one of three by immigration agents in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge, the other two fatal, and that Castro was held roughly 90 days in a Texas jail during the extradition dispute.
- Author
- ProPublica
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Man shot in leg by ICE in Minneapolis did not attack officer, women say
Relevant passage: Sections describing the habeas corpus petitions and the FBI affidavit's account of Sosa-Celis's and Aljorna's interviews
Excerpt
"At no time did either Alfredo or Julio use or threaten to use a weapon, nor wield any object that could be deployed as a weapon, against the man assaulting Alfredo."
About this source
MPR's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, of habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of Aljorna's and Sosa-Celis's partners and of an FBI affidavit's account of investigators' interviews with Sosa-Celis and Aljorna. It reports that Sosa-Celis told investigators he had a snow shovel in his hands but "never used it," and that Aljorna said he threw a broom at the officer after breaking free and that Sosa-Celis was shot through the door. It also reports the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's statement that federal authorities were not cooperating with the state investigation.
- Author
- Minnesota Public Radio
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
ICE officer pleads not guilty to charges he lied to the FBI about nonfatal Minneapolis shooting
Relevant passage: Full article
Excerpt
"It's the first Justice Department prosecution of a federal officer for actions during this year's Operation Metro Surge, which brought thousands of agents to the Twin Cities and led to sweeping protests, arrests and the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers."
About this source
The AP's report, carried by CNN, of Castro's September 18, 2026 not-guilty plea in federal court, read in full on 2026-09-22. It covers the extradition dispute between Minnesota and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Castro's release on a $75,000 bond with a GPS monitor, and DHS's public description of Minnesota's prosecution as "unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt."
- Author
- Associated Press
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Christian Castro Indicted by Grand Jury for Making False Statements
Relevant passage: Full press release
Excerpt
"As Person 1 and Person 2 entered the residence and began to close the front door, Castro stood up, drew his service weapon, and fired a single shot through the front door."
About this source
DOJ's press release on the six-count federal indictment, read in full on 2026-09-22. It identifies U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen and describes the indictment's account of the shooting and of what Castro told an FBI agent that night, which the indictment alleges was false. It notes an indictment is merely an allegation and Castro is presumed innocent, and that DOJ "has not ruled out additional charges."
- Author
- U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
HCAO files charges against ICE agent accused of shooting, injuring man in north Minneapolis during Metro Surge
Relevant passage: Quotations from Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's news conference
Excerpt
"A violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it. He shot through the door of a home with many people, including children, inside, while fortunately missing several others."
About this source
KARE 11's report of Moriarty's May 18, 2026 news conference announcing the charges, read in full on 2026-09-22. It quotes Moriarty saying Castro's "federal badge does not make him immune from state charges" and that Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "were here lawfully."
- Author
- KARE 11
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Attorney General Ellison praises charges against ICE agent in January 2026 Minneapolis shooting
Relevant passage: Full release, including the quotation from Attorney General Keith Ellison and the excerpt from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's press release
Excerpt
"Contrary to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) press release on January 15, Mr. Castro was not hit with any shovels, brooms, or weapons of any kind at any time during this incident."
About this source
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office's release, read in full on 2026-09-22, announcing four felony second-degree-assault counts and one misdemeanor false-reporting count against Castro, filed jointly with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. It quotes the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's own press release directly, including its statement that the DHS release "along with its dozens of false statements, remains on the DHS website."
- Author
- Minnesota Attorney General's Office
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting
Relevant passage: Second and third paragraphs, quoting Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons's statement
Excerpt
"A joint review by ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) of video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements."
About this source
Politico's report, read in full on 2026-09-22, quoting Lyons's statement announcing that two officers were placed on administrative leave. It reports that the announcement came a day after federal prosecutors dropped the criminal cases against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna, and links a court filing in which prosecutors say "newly discovered evidence" contradicts the officers' account. A later ProPublica investigation paraphrases the same Feb. 13 statement with different wording ("Video evidence has revealed the sworn testimony of the two agents appeared to be false"); this record treats Politico's block-quoted text, filed the same day as the statement, as the more reliable rendering of Lyons's exact words.
- Author
- Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein
- Published
- Accessed