Ellison says “nobody is above the law, including ICE agents”
Attorney General of Minnesota, in an official press release
“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.”
Source and context
Official statement
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."
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Ellison's office jointly filed the charges against Castro with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on May 18, 2026.
After the quotation
Ellison later sued Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to compel Castro's extradition after Abbott refused to sign the warrant.
How this statement is classified
Responding 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.
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
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.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Christian Castro
Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?
Explore the case context, sources and public responses.
More from this case
Read the full case“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.”Read statement
Gabriel 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.”Read statement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
“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.”Read statement