Texas Rangers Arrest ICE Agent After MN Shooting Charges

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent charged in connection with a January shooting during Operation Metro Surge was arrested Friday morning in Texas, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Christian Castro was arrested by Texas Rangers, with Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators present at the scene.

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BCA investigators had located Castro and traveled to Texas this week.

Castro was charged earlier this month with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with a Jan. 14, 2026, incident.

Prosecutors said Castro fired his weapon through the front door of a home after people had run inside. The bullet went through the door, struck Julio Sosa-Celis in the leg and then hit the wall of a child’s room, according to authorities.

Castro claimed he had been attacked with a shovel and broom before firing, according to charges. However, video reviewed by investigators contradicted that account, according to prosecutors.

Castro is the second federal agent to be criminally charged for conduct during Operation Metro Surge. He is also one of two agents ICE Director Todd Lyons acknowledged lied about the circumstances of the incident, according to prosecutors.

“Today’s arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “The BCA’s investigative work was instrumental in this process and we’re grateful for their collaboration as we pursue accountability for this incident on behalf of Mr. Sosa-Celis, his family, and our community.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also praised the arrest.

"In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government,” Ellison said. “I am pleased to hear Christian Castro has been taken into custody and will stand trial for the crimes he allegedly committed in Minnesota. Justice demands no less. Christian Castro's alleged shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis appears unwarranted, as evidenced by the lies Castro told his ICE supervisors to justify his unlawful actions. He remains innocent unless and until proven guilty.

"I'm grateful to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the law enforcement agents who took Castro into custody, and to Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty and her team for their partnership in this important work."

Prosecutors said the state charges are likely to lead to an attempt to remove the case to federal court.

If a judge grants removal, the case would still be prosecuted by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office under Minnesota law, according to prosecutors. If Castro is convicted, the conviction would not be eligible for a presidential pardon, prosecutors said.