ICE Agent Castro Faces $400K Bond After Minneapolis Court Appearance, September 18

Christian Castro, 52, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, appeared in Hennepl County District Court on Thursday after his arrest Wednesday in Minneapolis. He faces four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of falsely reporting a crime in the January 14 shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant. Judge Paul Scoggin set bond at $400,000 without conditions or $200,000 with conditions that include surrendering his passport and signing an extradition waiver.

How Castro ended up in Minnesota custody

Castro had been held in a Texas jail for three months awaiting extradition after Minnesota charged him in January. Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused to approve the extradition request, and a federal judge declined to override that decision. Castro was released from Texas custody on August 27. He then agreed to drive from Texas to Minneapolis to turn himself in at his attorney’s office, but Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents arrested him Wednesday afternoon before he arrived, according to his lawyer Daniel Gerdts.

What happened on January 14

Castro shot Julio Sosa-Celis through the closed front door of his home during an immigration enforcement operation. The bullet passed through Sosa-Celis’ leg and lodged in a child’s bedroom wall. Video evidence later contradicted Castro’s initial claims that three people had assaulted him. Prosecutors say Castro invented a story to justify shooting through the door into a house with multiple people inside.

Federal charges and Operation Metro Surge

Castro also faces federal charges alleging he made materially false statements to the FBI about the shooting. The government says he told six separate lies to investigators, including claiming he had been attacked with a broom and a shovel. This marks the first federal prosecution of a federal law enforcement officer arising from Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration immigration crackdown that brought thousands of agents to Minneapolis in January. The operation drew weeks of protests and led to fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal agents.

What happens next

Castro is due to appear in federal court in St. Paul on Friday morning on the federal charges. If he posts bond with conditions, he must surrender his passport and sign a pre-waiver of extradition. Hennepl County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at a press conference that Castro did not follow the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s instructions to turn himself in, which led to his arrest. His attorney declined to comment after Thursday’s hearing.

Final Thoughts

Castro’s arrest ends a months-long standoff between Minnesota and Texas over extradition. The case marks the first federal prosecution of a law enforcement officer tied to Operation Metro Surge, signaling increased accountability for federal agents involved in the controversial immigration crackdown.

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