DOJ Drops Charges After Video Undermines ICE Testimony
DOJ dismissed charges against two men after video evidence contradicted ICE officers' sworn testimony, and two officers were placed on leave pending criminal and internal probes.
Overview
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen moved to dismiss federal charges with prejudice against Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, and a judge granted the request on Friday.
The motion said "newly discovered evidence" was materially inconsistent with the criminal complaint, and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said video review showed two officers provided "untruthful statements" in sworn testimony.
Lyons said the two officers were placed on administrative leave and may face termination and potential criminal prosecution, and the U.S. Attorney's Office opened a criminal investigation while ICE conducts an internal review.
FBI affidavits and cellphone video contradicted the Department of Homeland Security's initial account about who fled in a car and who struck an officer, and Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg during the Jan. 14 confrontation.
Investigations are ongoing, the officers could be terminated or criminally charged depending on findings, and attorneys for Aljorna and Sosa-Celis said their clients will cooperate and seek accountability.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame federal immigration enforcement as repeatedly overstating threats by juxtaposing officials' charged claims with later video evidence. Editorial choices—headline emphasis, a recurring 'what officials said/what came out later' structure, selective sourcing of bystander video and defense testimony—create a cumulative skeptical narrative, while quoted official language remains presented as source content.
Sources (16)
FAQ
On January 14, an ICE officer shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg during a confrontation at their home in Minneapolis, where the officer claimed he was assaulted with a broom and snow shovel, but video and witness testimony contradicted this.
U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen filed a motion citing newly discovered evidence, including video, that was materially inconsistent with ICE officers' sworn testimony, leading Judge Paul A. Magnuson to dismiss the felony assault charges with prejudice.
Two ICE officers were placed on administrative leave pending an internal ICE review and a criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for providing untruthful statements under oath; they may face termination or prosecution.
Attorney Brian D. Clark stated the charges were based on lies by an ICE agent who recklessly shot through a closed door, and his clients are overjoyed that justice is being served and will cooperate.
It remains unclear whether the two Venezuelan men could still be deported despite the dismissal of criminal charges.
History
- 8 sources
5 sources