A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of firing shots at a Venezuelan man during an immigration enforcement operation has entered a not guilty plea to federal charges of providing false information to the FBI. The officer, Christian Castro, 52, faced a U.S. magistrate judge in St. Paul, Minnesota, following a six-count federal indictment related to the shooting incident involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis on January 14.
Castro’s defense attorney, Daniel Gerdts, refrained from commenting on the case after the hearing, as reported by the Associated Press. Castro had previously pleaded not guilty to state charges of assault and false reporting in Minneapolis, where the shooting occurred.
According to Hennepin County district attorney Mary Moriarty, Castro fabricated a story to justify his actions of shooting through a front door into a house with multiple occupants. The bullet fired by Castro hit a child’s bedroom wall.
Castro is accused of lying to investigators in both the state and federal cases by claiming he was attacked with a broom handle and a snow shovel before discharging his firearm. The incident resulted in federal charges against Sosa-Celis and another individual, Aljorna, both legal U.S. residents under the temporary protected status program.
Sosa-Celis, who sustained a gunshot wound to his thigh, was treated for his injuries. The shooting occurred amidst Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where Castro is one of three ICE or CBP agents who drew their firearms during the operation.
Following the shooting incident, Castro was placed on administrative leave by ICE and is currently suspended without pay pending the resolution of his legal cases. He was arrested in Texas after leaving Minnesota and faced state charges filed by Moriarty.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to sign an extradition warrant requested by Minnesota, citing ongoing investigations and accusations of political interference. This led to tensions between the two states, with Minnesota eventually dropping a lawsuit against Texas as Castro voluntarily returned to face the charges after his release from custody.
Castro, with ties to Mexico, surrendered his passport as part of his pretrial release conditions. The shootings of Good and Pretti, which sparked outrage among immigration advocates and lawmakers, occurred during a nationwide effort by the Trump administration to increase deportations and enforce immigration policies. Critics have raised concerns about due process violations and the treatment of legal refugees in the deportation process.
Operation Metro Surge targeted individuals from various immigrant communities, including those from Somalia, leading to apprehensions of thousands of people. The administration faced backlash for its handling of the situation, with officials making controversial statements about the victims of the shootings. Investigations into the fatal shootings are ongoing, with calls for accountability and justice in the cases.
