Minnesota Shooting: ICE Agent Arrested in Texas, How He Could be Prosecuted

Minnesotan, Texan, and federal officers tracked down and arrested a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Friday in connection with the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis during the height of tensions in the city in January.

Announcing Christian Castro’s arrest in Texas, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she would “pursue accountability” for the incident in which Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg during an attempted arrest of another immigrant. Castro was charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the January 14 incident.

Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General agents were involved in Castro’s arrest, alongside the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

“In Minnesota, we believe in equal justice under the law. That means nobody is above the law, including agents of the federal government,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a press release. “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.”

The non-fatal shooting happened in the days between the deadly incidents involving U.S. citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Local authorities have struggled to seek prosecutions for the federal agents connected with their deaths.

How Can Castro Be Prosecuted?

While there are usually exemptions for federal agents when it comes to prosecutions for their actions while performing official duties, Moriarty appears to be confident of securing a conviction.

In a video shared following the announcement of Castro’s arrest warrant, the County Attorney said a case would be filed in the district court where the alleged crime occurred. The suspect could then seek the case’s removal to federal court.

If the defendant does file a notice of removal, within 30 days of first appearance, then the state court procedure is put on hold.

A hearing would then take place in the federal district court in Minnesota, with a judge needing proof that the federal agent’s claim is more likely true than not, including that the charges they face are related to official federal duties.

If the judge orders the case moves to federal court, then the County Attorney’s Office would still prosecute the case under state law.

The agent could seek supremacy clause immunity, but the judge would need to apply a two-part test: again, whether they were performing an official act, and whether the agent did no more than what was necessary and proper for them to do.

If the case continued, and the agent was convicted, then they would not be eligible for a presidential pardon. If the case was sent back to the state court, then the trial could continue there.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 9:56 AM.