ICE Agent Charged for Falsifying Account of Venezuelan Migrant Shooting

Sun Sep 06 2026 00:30:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A federal indictment accuses an ICE officer of lying about a January shooting in Minnesota that left a Venezuelan migrant wounded.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, Christian Castro, faces a six‑count indictment for false statements regarding a 14‑January shooting that injured a Venezuelan migrant. Minnesota investigators allege Castro fired through a closed door, striking a man in the leg, contradicting his self‑defence claim. The case highlights tensions amid Operation Metro Surge and the broader scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement. Prosecutors in both Minnesota and Texas pursue charges, with the agent recently released from custody. The indictment may not fully capture the severity of the alleged violent conduct, but federal actions signify a rare disciplinary move against a federal officer.

ICE Agent Charged for Lied About Shooting Venezuelan Migrant in Minnesota

Christian Castro, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, has been charged in federal court with filing false statements about a shooting that occurred on 14 January in the state of Minnesota. The indictment contains six counts alleging that the agent fired a weapon after a confrontation that did not result in injury to him.

Minnesota investigators say that Castro fired through a closed door, striking a Venezuelan migrant, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, in the leg. The victim was wounded but survived. The ICE officer’s initial claim that he acted in self‑defence following an attack by three migrants with shovel and broom‑handle weapons came into doubt after surveillance footage was examined.

The incident unfolded during Operation Metro Surge, a large influx of federal immigration officers to the Midwest that sparked protests and previously led to violence, including the deaths of two U.S. citizens. In that environment, the shooting of a migrant in Minnesota has become a flashpoint for federal‑state scrutiny.

While the indictment may not fully reflect the seriousness of the alleged violent conduct, Minnesota’s top prosecutor, Keith Ellison, welcomed the federal action and stressed that state charges will proceed regardless of the federal prosecution.

Castro was arrested in Texas in May and held for three months. He was released from custody after Texas Governor Greg Abbott declined an extradition request. The case is being heard in the federal courts in Minnesota, and state prosecutors are pursuing additional assault and false‑report charges.

For more context on ICE’s authority and the legal framework governing the use of force, see our companion report on ICE powers.