Feds probe whether two immigration officers lied about north Minneapolis shooting, place them on leave
Federal investigators are probing whether two ICE agents lied about a Jan. 14 north Minneapolis shooting after an internal review determined the agents’ sworn accounts “appear” to contain untruthful statements, and both have been placed on administrative leave, ICE Director Todd Lyons said. The inquiry — led by ICE and DOJ as a potential criminal false‑statement matter and distinct from an FBI probe offering up to $100,000 for stolen federal property — centers on video that contradicts the officers’ affidavit about who initiated force and prompted DOJ to dismiss assault charges against Julio Sosa‑Celis and Alfredo Aljorna.
📌 Key Facts
- ICE Director Todd Lyons said an internal review found the two officers’ sworn accounts of the Jan. 14 north Minneapolis shooting “appear” to contain untruthful statements, and federal investigators are examining specific contradictions between the officers’ reports and video evidence about who initiated force.
- The questioned officers’ accounts formed the backbone of the original federal affidavit that led to local assault charges against Julio Sosa‑Celis and Alfredo Aljorna; DOJ moved to dismiss those charges after video evidence contradicted the ICE affidavit, and Lyons has publicly tied that discrepancy to potential perjury.
- ICE is working with the Department of Justice on a criminal inquiry into the officers’ statements, and the probe is being framed internally as a potential criminal false‑statement matter rather than only a disciplinary review.
- Both agents have been placed on administrative leave; Lyons said they could be fired and face criminal prosecution if the joint ICE–DOJ investigation confirms they lied.
- The FBI is separately offering up to $100,000 for stolen federal property from the related protest, situating the investigation of the officers’ statements inside a broader accountability effort connected to the Metro Surge shooting.
📊 Relevant Data
At least two dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and contractors have been charged with crimes since 2020, illustrating potential abuses of power within the agency.
Crimes committed by ICE agents show how their powers can be abused, AP review finds — MPR News
ICE conducted 37 investigations into officer misconduct related to use of force in the last year.
ICE conducted 37 investigations into officer misconduct in last year — WYPR
There is a growing pattern of aggressive tactics and conflicting evidence in DHS accounts of immigration enforcement incidents, raising questions about the use of lethal force by federal immigration agents.
Footage, documents at odds with DHS accounts of immigration enforcement incidents — Stateline
The total number of Venezuelan immigrants in Minnesota is 2,003 as of 2026.
Immigrants from Venezuela in Minnesota by City in 2026 — Zip Atlas
Between 2010 and 2022, Minnesota's Black population increased by 150,357 from 272,757 to 423,114, representing the largest growth among racial groups at approximately 55%.
Minnesota population by year, county, race, & more — USAFacts
In Near North Minneapolis, the population composition based on 2019-2023 data is 49.8% Black (3,774 residents), 24.2% White (1,833 residents), 9.4% Asian (717 residents), 10.7% two or more races (813 residents), and 5% other (377 residents), with a total population of 7,585.
Near North Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN Demographics: Population, Income, and More — Point2Homes
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- ICE Director Todd Lyons told the Minnesota Reformer that an internal review found two officers’ sworn accounts of the Jan. 14 north Minneapolis shooting ‘appear’ to contain untruthful statements.
- Lyons said both agents have been placed on administrative leave and could be fired and criminally prosecuted if the joint ICE–DOJ investigation confirms they lied.
- The article underscores that DOJ’s motion to dismiss assault charges against Julio Sosa‑Celis and Alfredo Aljorna was explicitly based on video evidence contradicting the ICE affidavit, and that Lyons is now publicly tying that discrepancy to potential perjury.
- The piece clarifies that ICE is working with DOJ on the criminal inquiry while the FBI separately offers up to $100,000 for stolen federal property from the related protest, situating the lying‑officers probe inside a broader accountability push.
- Alpha’s piece emphasizes that federal investigators are specifically examining contradictions between the officers’ reports and video evidence regarding who initiated force in the confrontation, not just generic 'untruthful statements.'
- The article highlights that the questioned officers are the same ones whose accounts formed the backbone of the original federal affidavit that led to local charges which DOJ has since dropped, underscoring how central their credibility is to the entire case.
- It adds detail that the probe is being framed internally as a potential criminal false‑statement matter, not merely a disciplinary review, raising the stakes for both officers and DOJ’s narrative of the Metro Surge shooting.