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.
BackgroundWhen can federal immigration agents use deadly force?What is the Supremacy Clause?
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
On January 14, 2026, ICE officer Christian Castro fired his service weapon through the closed front door of a north Minneapolis home during a foot pursuit that followed a traffic stop, wounding 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. The Department of Homeland Security said the following day that Castro had been ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Aljorna and a third man, Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, and fired a defensive shot fearing for his life; federal prosecutors initially charged Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with assaulting Castro. Sosa-Celis and Aljorna told investigators they had not attacked Castro, and habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of their partners disputed DHS's account. On February 12, 2026, federal prosecutors dismissed the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, citing newly discovered evidence materially inconsistent with the allegations; the next day, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said a joint ICE-DOJ review of video evidence indicated two officers' sworn testimony appeared untruthful, and placed them on administrative leave. In May 2026, Hennepin County prosecutors charged Castro with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime, alleging he was not attacked and fired at Sosa-Celis and Aljorna after they had already gone inside the home, where children were present. In September 2026, following a monthslong dispute over his extradition from Texas, federal prosecutors separately indicted Castro on six counts of making materially false statements to the FBI about the shooting. Castro has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges; the state charges and the underlying dispute over whether his use of force was justified remain unresolved.
Background: Terms in this case
Read the full background
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
14 timeline entries on this page. Dates: January 14, 2026 to September 24, 2026
January 2026
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]U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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. 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 September 22, 2026, this release remained published on DHS's website without a correction or retraction, a fact separately noted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
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]United States Department of Justice
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. 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 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 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
February 2026
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]Politico
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 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 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
March 2026
Murray releases shooting remarks
Reaction
Murray criticizes the Sosa-Celis shooting in published remarks.
[06]Patty Murray
Official transcript with Murray's case-specific criticisms.
Murray's March 10 remarks on immigration-agent shootings · Patty MurrayMARIMAR MARTINEZ, JULIO CESAR SOSA-CELIS and CARLOS JIMENEZ sections
May 2026
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.
[07]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. 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[08]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 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 releaseSullum questions the claimed immunity in the Castro case
Reaction
In a May 20 column, Jacob Sullum calls DHS's initial shooting account a lie and argues that federal officers are not automatically immune from state prosecution.
[09]Sullum's column on the Castro prosecution and immunity
Sullum calls the initial account a lie and argues that federal officers do not automatically have immunity from state prosecution.
Sullum's column on the Castro prosecution and immunityParagraphs 1-3 and 9-13; byline dated May 20, 2026, 12:01 AMCastro 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.
[10]CNN
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. 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."
August 2026
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.
[11]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 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.
[12]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 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.
[10]CNN
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. 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 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
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]United States Department of Justice
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. 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[10]CNN
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. 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.
[10]CNN
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. 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.
[10]CNN
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. 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."
Amnesty publishes its shooting assessment
Source release
Amnesty condemns the Sosa-Celis shooting.
[13]Amnesty International
Amnesty evaluates the shootings and requests independent investigations.
Amnesty International assessments of four immigration-agent shootings · Amnesty InternationalPrinted pages 85, 87, 89 and 92; concluding paragraphs.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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.
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
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementFederal immigration-enforcement agency, in a statement announced by Acting Director Todd LyonsDirectly involvedBefore this 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.
"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."
Challenged 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.
Full statement and sources
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.
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 chargeWhy this label?
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 “Challenged the 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.
- U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementFederal immigration-enforcement agency, in a press release published on DHS's websiteDirectly involved
Before this statement
The shooting occurred the previous evening, January 14, 2026, in north Minneapolis during a targeted immigration enforcement operation.
"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."
Defended 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.
Full statement and sources
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."
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 NoemWhy this label?
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.
Sources
(15)
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. 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 September 22, 2026, this release remained published on DHS's website without a correction or retraction, a fact separately noted by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
- Author
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Amnesty International assessments of four immigration-agent shootings
Relevant passage: Printed pages 85, 87, 89 and 92; concluding paragraphs.
About this source
Amnesty evaluates the shootings and requests independent investigations.
- Author
- Amnesty International
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Sullum's column on the Castro prosecution and immunity
Relevant passage: Paragraphs 1-3 and 9-13; byline dated May 20, 2026, 12:01 AM
About this source
Sullum calls the initial account a lie and argues that federal officers do not automatically have immunity from state prosecution.
- Author
- Jacob Sullum
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Murray's March 10 remarks on immigration-agent shootings
Relevant passage: MARIMAR MARTINEZ, JULIO CESAR SOSA-CELIS and CARLOS JIMENEZ sections
About this source
Official transcript with Murray's case-specific criticisms.
- Author
- Patty Murray
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
ACLU-MN to Represent Julio Sosa-Celis in Continued Pursuit of Federal Accountability for Operation Metro Surge Shooting
Relevant passage: Paragraph beginning "On January 14, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Christian Castro shot Sosa-Celis".
Excerpt
"This shocking attack occurred at the height of Operation Metro Surge, during which federal agents committed some of the most flagrant constitutional violations we have witnessed in the United States since the civil rights era."
About this source
Press release from the ACLU of Minnesota announcing that it will represent Julio Sosa-Celis through the Federal Tort Claims Act process.
- 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 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 of Ellison's August 18, 2026 lawsuit against Abbott, filed alongside Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
- Author
- Minnesota Public Radio
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Minnesota investigators continue probe into north Minneapolis ICE shooting
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 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 a statement from Jeanette Boerner, director of Adult Representation Services, on his behalf. 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
- Andrew Hazzard
- 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 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 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. 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. 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. 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 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 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
Share or embed this case
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the case page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/was-ice-officer-christian-castro-justified-in-shooting-julio-cesar-sosa-celis
The Dispute Index. "Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/was-ice-officer-christian-castro-justified-in-shooting-julio-cesar-sosa-celis