Video evidence has exposed two ICE officers who allegedly lied under oath about shooting a Venezuelan migrant through a closed door, triggering a federal perjury investigation that vindicates the Trump administration’s commitment to accountability while exposing how initial false narratives nearly destroyed innocent lives.
Story Snapshot
- Two ICE officers were placed on administrative leave, facing termination and criminal prosecution after a video contradicted sworn testimony about the January 14 Minneapolis shooting incident
- U.S. Attorney dropped all charges against Venezuelan migrants Alfredo Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis one day before ICE admitted officers lied under oath
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem initially accused Minnesota Democratic leaders of encouraging assaults on federal officers based on false officer accounts
- Incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge targeting illegal immigration, which resulted in over 4,000 arrests across Minnesota
False Testimony Unravels Federal Case
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons announced February 13 that video evidence directly contradicted sworn statements from two officers involved in the January 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis. The officers claimed they were ambushed and attacked with a snow shovel and broom handle, justifying shooting Sosa-Celis through a closed apartment door.
Video footage reviewed by ICE and Department of Justice investigators revealed these statements were untruthful, prompting immediate administrative leave and a joint criminal probe into potential perjury. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that such violations of the highest standards would not be tolerated.
Charges Dismissed Before Truth Emerged
U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen dropped all charges against Aljorna and Sosa-Celis on February 12, one day before ICE publicly acknowledged the officers’ false testimony. The incident began when ICE agents conducting a targeted traffic stop pursued Aljorna after he crashed his vehicle and fled toward his apartment duplex.
Officers shot Sosa-Celis in the leg through a closed door, claiming self-defense against a violent assault. Eyewitness Indriany Mendoza Camacho, Sosa-Celis’s partner, contradicted the federal narrative from the outset, stating Sosa-Celis attempted to de-escalate the situation and no assault occurred. Defense attorney Robin Wolpert now views Sosa-Celis as a crime victim rather than a criminal defendant.
Operation Metro Surge Context
The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, a Trump administration enforcement initiative deploying 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota between December 2025 and February 2026. White House Border Czar Tom Homan reported the operation resulted in over 4,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants.
Immigration lawyer Brian Clark, representing both migrants, called the shooting reckless and demanded officers be named and charged for firing through a closed door. The operation concluded the same week ICE admitted the false testimony, with enforcement tactics drawing scrutiny after two U.S. citizen deaths occurred during the broader operation, though details remain limited.
ICE says 2 of its officers may have lied under oath about shooting migrant in Minnesota https://t.co/9sxt1vzBg0
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) February 15, 2026
Pattern of Questionable Federal Claims
ABC reporter Armando Garcia identified a growing pattern of DHS claims failing court scrutiny across multiple cases. This includes the Marimar Martinez case in Chicago, where new evidence casts doubt on border patrol assertions that she was a domestic terrorist who rammed agents.
The Minneapolis incident initially followed a familiar script: DHS aggressively defended agents on social media, Secretary Noem publicly attacked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for allegedly encouraging assaults on federal officers, and an FBI affidavit detailed an ambush narrative.
However, when video evidence emerged contradicting officer testimony, ICE leadership swiftly pivoted to accountability, demonstrating that legitimate law enforcement requires truth even when politically inconvenient.
Accountability Upholds Rule of Law
Lyons emphasized that lying under oath constitutes a serious federal offense, with potential consequences including termination and criminal prosecution. This decisive response aligns with conservative principles that government authority must operate within constitutional boundaries and factual honesty.
While Operation Metro Surge legitimately targeted illegal immigration enforcement, individual officers who fabricate testimony undermine public trust and constitutional protections that conservatives hold sacred.
The migrants remain at deportation risk despite charge dismissals, though their legal status remains unclear. DHS has not responded to questions about whether Noem will retract her accusations against Minnesota officials, leaving unresolved the political rhetoric built upon false officer accounts that nearly destroyed two lives.
Sources:
DHS says immigration agents appear to have lied about shooting in Minnesota
