ICE Agent Charged with Fabricating Account of Venezuelan Migrant Shooting in Minnesota

A federal indictment has been filed against ICE agent Christian Castro, accusing him of falsifying the events surrounding a non‑fatal shooting that occurred on 14 January 2026 at a Minnesota suburb.

According to DHS, the agent fired in self‑defence after being attacked by three Venezuelan migrants wielding shovels and broom handles. Prosecutors now contend Castro discharged his weapon through a closed door, striking one of the migrants in the leg.

Castro remains a suspect in Texas, where he was arrested in May and held for three months. Austin Governor Greg Abbott denied Minnesota’s extradition request, citing doubts that Castro qualifies as a fugitive, but he has now been released and is awaiting trial.

State officials highlight that the bullet passed through the doorway, traveled into a child’s room, and struck a person on the lower leg—an account that differs starkly from the Department’s narrative.

“The indictment does not reflect the full seriousness of the violent crimes we are charging him for in Minnesota,” said Minnesota’s top prosecutor, Keith Ellison, in a statement welcoming the federal action while signalling parallel state proceedings will continue.

The case comes amid ongoing investigations into ICE’s conduct during Operation Metro Surge, a large‑scale federal deployment that sparked protests and ultimately resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of agents during confrontations.