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ICE Agent Charged with Lying About Shooting During Crackdown
Confirmed
In Short: An ICE agent faces federal charges for allegedly making false statements to the FBI about a shooting incident during a crackdown on Venezuelan nationals.
An ICE agent, Christian Castro, is facing a six-count federal indictment for allegedly making false statements to the FBI regarding a shooting incident on January 14, according to charging documents from CBS's US media partner.
The initial account from the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Castro fired in self-defense after being attacked by three Venezuelan illegal migrants with a shovel and broom handle, a position that has since been disputed.
In February, ICE acknowledged that two agents might have made 'untruthful statements' about the shooting, and federal authorities dropped charges against the individuals involved in the alleged attack after video evidence emerged.
The shooting left Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis with a gunshot wound to his leg, and federal authorities now allege that Castro discharged his weapon through the front door of a home, knowing that people had just run inside.
The case highlights ongoing debates about the protections afforded to immigration agents and the credibility of their claims during enforcement operations, a position that has been rejected by many legal experts.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Trump’s top officials have repeatedly argued that immigration agents maintain broad protections while conducting enforcement, a position rejected by many legal experts.
- Castro and a fellow agent chased Alfredo Aljorna, a Venezuelan national, after a traffic stop, according to charging documents.
- Christian Castro, who is not yet in custody, faces a six-count federal indictment relating to shooting on 14 January, according to the BBC's US media partner CBS.
- The Department of Homeland Security initially said he fired in self-defence after being attacked by three Venezuelan illegal migrants with a shovel and broom handle.
- In February, ICE said two immigration agents might have made "untruthful statements" about the shooting.
- Minnesota officials have said the agent discharged his weapon through the front door of a home "knowing there were people who had just run inside".
- A federal grand jury on Wednesday returned an indictment charging the officer, Christian Castro, with making false statements to the FBI about the Jan. 14 shooting that left Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis with a gunshot…
- Federal authorities had initially accused Sosa-Celis and another man of beating an immigration officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel in a confrontation that preceded the shooting, but federal prosecutors…