DOJ claims ICE agent made up wild 'broom' attack story after shooting — but lawyer says he's being used as a 'political pawn'



Did an ICE agent spin up a wild story after shooting a Venezuelan national in Minnesota early this year? Or has he been scapegoated by a state filled with "rage" over immigration law enforcement in general?

Both federal and Hennepin County prosecutors have formally charged Christian Castro, 52, for allegedly lying to investigators, but one of his attorneys, David Lindenmuth, told Blaze News that his client has been unfairly targeted by "rabid" officials looking for someone to blame for other controversies associated with Operation Metro Surge.

'He was in pursuit of people in a vehicle who fled. ... There was a person on that porch that apparently had a weapon at some point.'

"They went through some pretty serious things up there with the federal law enforcement being sent up there. There's a couple of high-profile deaths," Lindenmuth said. "And because of that, I think that what happened, to be quite honest ... [is] Mr. Castro is basically the one that they chose to prosecute."

Lindenmuth did not name names regarding the "high-profile deaths," but the incident involving Castro occurred just one week after Renee Good was fatally shot on January 7.

On January 14, the Department of Homeland Security reported that an unnamed federal immigration officer had "fired a defensive shot to defend his life" during an immigration operation in Minnesota.

The officer had sustained a brutal attack, during which three individuals "ambushed" him and struck him with a "broom handle" and a "snow shovel," the DHS claimed on January 14.

Now, however, the Department of Justice claims the officer made the whole thing up. On September 2, a federal grand jury indicted Castro on six counts of making a materially false statement.

RELATED: Trump threatens Insurrection Act after ambushed ICE agent shoots illegal alien: 'Put an end to the travesty'

Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

The federal indictment claims that on January 14, Castro told the FBI that while he was attempting to arrest one man, a second "unknown man grabbed a red broom off the front porch," "a third unknown man came out of the house, grabbed a black snow shovel," and all three ganged up on him.

Castro then claimed that "he tried to block strikes from the broom to his face with his left hand and reached for his gun," according to the indictment. The men then bolted for a nearby residence, and Castro "lifted his back off the ground and fired one round from his gun in the general direction of the men at the same time they started running."

Castro estimated to the FBI that he struggled on the ground with the original subject, identified as "A.A.," for "approximately three minutes," the indictment said.

According to federal prosecutors, none of Castro's claims are true. Instead, prosecutors claim: No one struck Castro with a broom or a snow shovel at that time; there was no third person involved; Castro was standing when he shot through the front door of the duplex residence, where the two men had already hidden themselves; and the scuffle on the ground lasted only 11 seconds.

A probable cause statement from Hennepin County indicated that, following a 911 call, Minneapolis police took "remote-control of a city camera" and angled it at the residence in time to capture much of the incident.

Castro's bullet struck one subject, identified as Julio Sosa-Celis in news reports but referred to as "J.S.-C." in the federal indictment. Sosa-Celis was wounded in the leg but has recovered from his injury.

The indictment describes J.S.-C. as a 24-year-old "citizen of Venezuela" who resided in the duplex.

The probable cause statement claimed that at the time of the shooting, Sosa-Celis and A.A. "were residing in Minnesota lawfully, having been granted 'Temporary Protected Status' by the United States Department of Homeland Security."

Sosa-Celis was arrested shortly after the incident, but all charges against him have since been dropped.

Though Lindenmuth admits that Castro "fired his weapon" that fateful night, Lindenmuth insisted that Castro is "innocent" and "had no intent to lie to federal agents."

"The federal government has to prove that Mr. Castro lied to them, and then the state government has to prove that he actually committed a crime," he explained to Blaze News. "The facts as I understand them is that he was in pursuit of people in a vehicle who fled, right? They fled. Then they fled on foot. There was a person on that porch that apparently had a weapon at some point."

In the county probable cause statement, the original subject of the operation — whom the federal indictment referred to as "A.A." — admitted to investigators on January 14 that he fled from the agents in his vehicle because "he feared for his life" and led them on a 25-minute chase. Once he arrived at his residence, he made a run for the front door but "slipped on the ice" and was then "tackled" by the ICE agent.

Video of the incident also shows that prior to the shooting, Sosa-Celis "stepped onto the front lawn of the home holding a snow shovel," the probable cause statement indicated.

Castro was originally indicted by the Hennepin County district attorney back in May on four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of falsely reporting a crime.

He was arrested following the federal indictment and booked into Hennepin County Jail. Jail records show only the state charges.

Castro pled not guilty to the federal charges on Friday. He was released from jail after posting a $200,000 bond.

Castro is scheduled to appear in court again for the state charges on November 3. The DHS has suspended him without pay, Lindenmuth confirmed.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota, the DHS, the Hennepin County Prosecutor's Office, and the office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (DFL) did not respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.

RELATED: Anti-ICE aid fund in Minnesota shuts down — and you can probably guess the reason why

Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Lindenmuth characterized the charges as a miscarriage of justice against a devoted American patriot who has been turned into a "political pawn" by bad actors.

"Mr. Castro was a 13-year veteran in the Army, a combat veteran deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he received a 100% disability rating as a result of his service for 70% for PTSD, 30% for traumatic brain injury, where he was hit by the last wave of a suicide bomber on the American embassy over there. And so this is a person who was injured serving his country," Lindenmuth claimed, adding that Castro has also spent a decade as an immigration officer.

"He has given his life to serving this country, and he's not [been given] the benefit of the protections of the presumption of innocence. ... Basically he's being tried out in public by the state of Minnesota, and it's sad to see.

"That's not how we're supposed to operate."

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CNN analyst pours cold water on Democrats' dream of a political takeover in November



Pollsters and prediction markets are prophesying overwhelming Democratic success in the midterm election, which is now seven weeks away. CNN admitted in a recent analysis, however, that those hoping for a blue tidal wave might be left greatly disappointed in November.

Doom and gloom for the GOP

Polymarket presently suggests that Democrats have a 62% chance of taking the U.S. Senate and a 92% chance of taking the House. Kalshi similarly forecasts Democrats taking over the House and Senate.

'It’s going to be close.'

According to the Economist's latest midterm forecast, Democrats have a 93% chance of flipping the House and securing a 238-197 majority, and a 59% chance of taking the Senate.

The latest New York Times/Siena poll shows Democrats enjoying an eight-point edge on the generic ballot.

A recent NBC News poll found that while the Democratic Party is viewed more negatively than both President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, 50% of respondents favored Democratic control of Congress.

RELATED: The cost of living is coming for Congress

The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

Pollster Nate Silver argued on Sunday that the idea of the Senate as a "toss-up" is "misaligned with the long history of strong opposition performance in midterm elections, especially when the incumbent president is as unpopular as Trump."

Blue disappointment?

In light of recent polling, the average price of gasoline sitting at an estimated $4.44 per gallon, and the sense that the midterm vote serves as a referendum on Trump's policies, hope is mounting on the left that a blue wave will wash away the Republican trifecta in Washington.

That hope may, however, be unfounded.

CNN political analyst Ronald Brownstein suggested just over a week ago that Democrats might not be in a position to exploit the president's waning public approval, Americans' economic woes, and growing political discontent.

In addition to noting that many Democratic candidates are not attracting the numbers of voters who disapproved of Trump in 2018 and 2020, Brownstein wrote that despite disenchantment among some voters on the right, few appear willing to turn coat.

"The share of non-MAGA Republicans who say they are still voting for Republicans this fall is about 20 points higher than the portion who approve of Trump’s performance," Brownstein wrote, citing GOP pollster Micah Roberts' analysis of CNBC survey data.

"There are a lot of people who may think, 'I don’t like Trump but ... I don't agree with the policies of the other party and where they would take us,'" said Roberts.

While Republican voters might not cast votes for Democratic candidates, Brownstein noted that the GOP still faces the possibility that disenchanted Republican voters might decide not to vote at all — a big problem given the enthusiasm among likely Democratic voters.

Voter enthusiasm might threaten Republicans' hold on power; however, the GOP's redistricting efforts have placed breakers before any blue wave.

After all, far fewer House seats are competitive now than were in 2018, and 13 House Democrats must now defend districts where Trump netted at least five points more than his share of the national vote, said Brownstein.

The CNN analyst cast greater doubt on Democrats' senatorial ambitions, noting that "of the Republican-held seats Democrats are most seriously contesting, Maine is the only one in a state that supported Harris; North Carolina is the sole other state on the Senate map where Harris even came close. Trump prevailed by double digits in every other state whose Senate seat Democrats are targeting."

Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's June ruling in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, the GOP — not similarly hard up for cash like the Democrats — also enjoys a financial advantage Brownstein reckons could be wielded to limit Democratic gains.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Richard Hudson told the New York Post earlier this month that instead of a blue or red wave this November, there will be "30 knife fights in 30 dark alleys."

"It’s just a handful of races, but every one of them will be decided by a few thousand votes. It’s going to be close," added Hudson.

The Cook Political Report projects that the GOP and the Democratic Party are set to win 208 and 205 House seats, respectively, and marked 21 seats as toss-ups.

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Are You Brave Enough to Ask Yourself This Question? What Everyone Can Learn from Yom Kippur
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Are You Brave Enough to Ask Yourself This Question? What Everyone Can Learn from Yom Kippur

Texas shuts down rioters, Democrats fan the flames after ICE shooting



Radicals waving foreign flags and leftist signage flooded the streets of North Austin on Sunday following a nonfatal shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and a Venezuelan national.

As the sun set on a day full of anti-ICE rhetoric from Democratic officials, including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, protesters turned violent, prompting a crackdown from Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.

The shooting

The shooting took place just before 1 p.m. on Sunday in the 8000 block of Anderson Square.

'I am ready to Melt ICE.'

Austin-Travis County EMS Rob Luckritz noted that the individual who caught the bullet — identified by his immigration attorney as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national allegedly working as a DoorDash driver — had stable vital signs but was nevertheless taken to Dell Seton Medical Center in "serious condition."

A video live streamed around the time of the shooting and reviewed by the New York Times captures the sound of screeching tires and a collision, then pivots to show a damaged Corolla driven by Perez stopped next to an SUV driven by an ICE officer, the NYT reported. The vehicles can be seen on the video facing in opposite directions.

In a different video obtained by ABC News that shows the aftermath of the shooting, Perez can be heard claiming in Spanish that he was shot for failing to "brake," the outlet reported.

RELATED: The mass-deportation promise is disappearing

Masked radical throws a rock at law enforcement at an anti-ICE demonstration in Austin on Sept. 20. Brandon Bell/Getty Images.

Homeland Security Investigations is now investigating the shooting with the help of the FBI.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the individual shot on Sunday is an "illegal alien from Venezuela, who illegally entered our country under the Biden administration and had a final order of removal, during a law enforcement operation today in Austin, TX."

Perez received treatment at the hospital and was transferred into ICE custody.

The Democratic reflex

Following the shooting, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson joined other Democrats in presuming the worst and attacking ICE, stating, "I am very angry and extremely disappointed that a person was shot on the streets of Austin by ICE. While I’m angry and disappointed, I’m not surprised. This has happened in other cities. With the rogue nature of ICE and the chaos we’re seeing fomented by ICE, there’s no reason to be surprised."

Texas Rep. Greg Casar (D) also seized the opportunity to remind everyone that he loathes federal immigration enforcement, stating, "The horror has come to our city: ICE has shot a person in Austin this morning."

"Just like Americans have from Minneapolis to Houston, Austinites will speak out peacefully against this deadly mass deportation machine. ICE has been terrorizing our country for far too long. We will not be silent," added Casar, the son of immigrants.

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) tweeted, "Trump has allowed ICE to flood our streets and put our communities in harms [sic] way again and again and Governor Abbott is complicit every time."

Anchor-baby Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) accused the DHS of being the "biggest threat to our collective safety" and noting, "I am ready to Melt ICE and dismantle DHS!"

While admittedly short on information, Texas state Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D) stated, "This violence cannot continue."

The restoration of order

As Democrats took turns attacking ICE online, a horde of anti-ICE demonstrators rallied near the scene of the shooting, waving signs that said, "Stop ICE murder," "F**k ICE," "Moms against ICE," "Justice 4 Wilber," and "Abolish ICE."

The mob grew increasingly unruly, not only lobbing rocks and other projectiles at law enforcement but attempting on multiple occasions to march on the taped-off site of the shooting. The Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responded by firing pepper balls toward the radicals while Austin police officers in riot gear stood ready.

After deploying tear gas, tackling some rioters, and successfully dispersing the mob, whose assembly was declared unlawful, troopers left the scene around 11 p.m., reported NBC News.

Blaze News reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety and the DHS for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

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Democrats Aim To Win Rural Voters By Lying About ‘Moderation’

Democrats in general, and the Democratic Socialists of America in particular, are paying a lot more attention to rural America.

CNN says Trump press ban is illegal — then the Trump team THROWS DOWN fiery response



CNN decried the president banning the cable news network from the White House, and the Trump team responded with a crushing reply.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was banning CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, prompting a defiant response from CNN.

'The public deserves to hear about its government from independent voices, not just its leader’s loyalists and allies.'

"CNN stands fully behind our White House team and their fair and accurate reporting," read the statement from CNN.

"We have a right under the U.S. Constitution to do that reporting without hindrance or interference from the government," the network added. "Should the ban which President Trump threatened go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right."

The official White House rapid response team fired right back with a list of hoaxes perpetrated allegedly by the CNN network.

Among those were the Jussie Smollett case, the NASCAR noose hoax, and the Russia collusion hoax.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression objected to the ban in an official statement.

"When the White House opens its doors to the press, it must comply with the First Amendment," read the statement.

RELATED: LGBTQIA+ activist called for Trump to be assassinated and for harassment of his attorney, feds say

White House rapid response team X account

"The president is as free as any other person to criticize media coverage. But he can’t ban outlets from the White House just because he doesn’t like their reporting or commentary," they added.

"Press credentials aren’t a reward for loyalty to the government. A free, even adversarial, press is a sign of our country’s strength. The public deserves to hear about its government from independent voices, not just its leader’s loyalists and allies."

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Tommy Robinson warns Nick Freitas that an Islamic invasion is taking over the West



Activist, journalist, and Unite the Kingdom rally organizer Tommy Robinson chatted with Nick Freitas to warn about the dangers of the Islamic invasion of the West. As the Muslim population pushes out Christian communities, there’s plenty to worry about in the United States and abroad, Robinson believes, but hope lingers on the horizon.

Robinson was born in 1982 in Luton, a small but dense borough in Bedfordshire, England. At the time, Robinson recalled on an episode of "Making the Argument with Nick Freitas" that aired on Friday, only one mosque stood tall in town — a stark contrast to the 45 mosques now in the 17-square-mile region today.

’Muhammad was a war leader. He was a barbarian. He was a rapist. He murdered, beheaded 600 people in one day.’

It’s not just the religious layout of the town that’s changed, though, Robinson claims. It’s the culture.

“White English are now a minority in Luton,” Robinson declared, and he might be right.

Luton census data from 2021 shows that at the time, the white population still held the majority position at 45.2%, with “Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh” coming in second at 37%. However, the data makes no distinction between white English citizens and white non-English citizens.

Even more alarming, census numbers from 2021 and 2011 show a clear trend of the white population decreasing in Luton while all other ethnic categories have made mild to significant gains. Even if the white population isn’t the minority on paper yet, it is clearly on the decline.

Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021/ons.gov.uk

Diversity isn’t necessarily the main problem, Robinson explained to Freitas. After all, he is the son of an Irish newcomer and had school friends from as far away as Italy and Bulgaria.

Instead, he is more concerned about the proliferation of Islam and the Muslim culture over Christianity in his hometown and the Western world at large.

“There's never been racial tensions in Luton,” Robinson professed. “There's been religious tensions” with no assimilation.

He went on to highlight an important distinction between the Muslim population and everyone else: “Go into the [Luton] town center and find me any Muslim that's with a non-Muslim as a friend. You won't find one.”

According to Robinson, Muslims don’t mingle with non-Muslims in town. Instead, they push other groups out of their communities as they grow from within.

The census data highlights this, as well. In 2021, Christianity fell by 9.5% while the Muslim population grew by 8.3%.

Office for National Statistics – 2011 Census and Census 2021/ons.gov.uk

Robinson views Islam as a primary threat, not just to Luton but to the United States, as well.

“[Islam is] not just another religion. Muhammad wasn't just another leader. Muhammad was a war leader. He was a barbarian. He was a rapist. He murdered, beheaded 600 people in one day. He's a very different man. He should not be compared in any sort of way to Jesus Christ.”

In both the U.K. and the United States, the “racist” label, in particular, has become a popular weapon for the left in cases involving Muslims.

“Fear is paralyzing,” Robinson admitted. “And the fear of being branded a racist — these words become so powerful that they paralyze an entire nation of men. The toughest men in the world were scared.”

Britain Is Gone, and America Is Next w/ Tommy Robinson

Today, the West is under attack, Robinson insists. The Islamist threat is already inside the walls of the U.K. in hubs like Luton, and once those are conquered, the United States is next. And if anyone pushes back?

“They'll go mad,” Robinson issued an ominous warning. “They'll burn the place. Violence is coming ... whether we like it or not.” Luckily, he believes that hope is on the horizon, at least for America.

“If I was Americans, I'd be optimistic, because you've got Trump. When you voted for Trump, it wasn't a vote to save America. It was a vote to save Western civilization. You give us hope.”

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High school student wears bloody shirt to mock Charlie Kirk's death — district responds to backlash



A Washington state high school student made a disturbing mockery of the death of Charlie Kirk, and the school is facing backlash for letting it happen.

A image of the student shows him in a white shirt reading "FREEDOM" but with bloodstains on the left side of the shirt.

'PASD supports students’ rights to express their views. However, those rights exist alongside our responsibility to maintain safe, respectful learning environments.'

The image led to disgust and outrage against the district, which eventually released a statement stating that celebrating violence was against district policies for students.

"Port Angeles School District is aware of a photo circulating showing a student wearing clothing that did not meet District dress code expectations or the community standards we expect in our schools," read the statement from the Port Angeles School District.

"We first want to be very clear that clothing that depicts, promotes, or celebrates violence is not permitted or tolerated in our schools," they added. "We take this issue seriously and have a responsibility to respond thoughtfully, consistently, and with appropriate due process."

The district went on to say that officials could not comment on the specific actions taken against the student owing to privacy requirements.

"We can share that appropriate corrective action is being taken consistent with district policy on this matter," the district added. "PASD supports students’ rights to express their views. However, those rights exist alongside our responsibility to maintain safe, respectful learning environments and to enforce District policies."

RELATED: Vandals leave 'diabolical' message on Charlie Kirk statue — only days after unveiling

A Blaze News request for comment from the district superintendent was not returned in time for publishing.

Other far-left activists planned disturbing celebrations of Kirk's death for the one-year anniversary of the shooting at Utah Valley University.

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Trump BANS 'FAKE NEWS' outlets from White House — and warns more bans are coming



The president has announced that he banned three news outlets from the White House after accusing them of peddling fake news.

President Donald Trump issued the proclamation Friday on Truth Social against CNN, MS Now, and Politico.

'Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States.'

"I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW ... and Politico ... from the White House as a result of their constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS!" he wrote.

He mocked MS NOW for rebranding from MSNBC over a lack of credibility and viewership and referred to canceled subscriptions from the federal government for Politico.

"Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America," he added. "Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow."

The president had previously banned the Associated Press from the White House after the organization refused his order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. That ban is being challenged in the courts.

RELATED: Appeals court reinstates Trump ban on Associated Press from White House

The president mocked the AP in comments with other reporters.

"We’re going to keep them out until such time that they agree that it’s the Gulf of America," the president said to reporters in February 2025.

"I do think that some of the phrases they want to use are ridiculous, and I think, frankly, they’ve become obsolete."

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New York socialist Democrat gets TORCHED online for post about Mexican Independence Day



A self-described socialist Democrat has gone viral online after saying she would bring the Mexican fight for independence to the U.S. Congress if elected.

Union organizer and New York Assemblywoman Claire Valdez is running for New York's 7th District but posted a message of defiance against "empire" and corporations.

'Viva guacamole, or whatever it is you traitors scream.'

"215 years ago, Mexicans fought an empire that demanded our land and our labor. And we won," she wrote on social media Wednesday.

"I'll carry that fight with me to Congress as New York's first Mexican American representative," Valdez added. "And I'm strengthened not just by Mexico's history but its present. Last month I met comrades in Morena who are standing up to the empires and corporations that have always [been] taken from us — and building a government for the working class."

The sneering nature of her sloganeering was not appreciated by many online.

"American leftists elect people who are open about foreign allegiances and their agenda to serve foreign state interests," replied journalist Andy Ngo.

"Are you campaigning for Mexico or America?" responded another detractor. "I mean ... if you’re that proud of Mexico and its fight, I sincerely think you should head back over there and roll up your sleeves. Viva guacamole, or whatever it is you traitors scream."

"I’m very proud of my Mexican heritage, and I’ll be the first to say this is unacceptable," said another user. "If your political identity centers around advocating on behalf of Mexico (or any other foreign nation) & its people then you have no business serving as an elected or appointed official in American politics."

"Mexico is a colonialist state that crushed and destroyed indigenous people — why are you celebrating this?" added another.

"This is the United States of America. F**k off," replied the Libs of TikTok account simply.

RELATED: Democratic Socialists of America will seek to RADICALLY upend the federal government in reported platform update

No one apparently noted that the nickname for New York is the "Empire State," and Valdez claims to be running against "empire." The official nickname derives from a compliment to the state made by George Washington.

The Democratic Socialists of America party has celebrated a string of primary victories against more establishment candidates, leading many to warn that the fringe extreme is gaining influence in the Democratic Party.

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