Here’s how things played out.
A federal judge’s decision to release two Venezuelan nationals accused of attacking a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer didn’t last long, as ICE agents swiftly re-arrested both men inside a Minneapolis courthouse—underscoring the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration enforcement.
Court documents show that a federal judge agreed Tuesday to free 26-year-old Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis after determining they were not likely to flee. But before either man exited the courthouse, ICE agents took them back into federal custody.
The rapid re-detention triggered objections from defense attorneys, who filed an emergency habeas corpus petition claiming the arrests were unlawful. Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz responded by temporarily blocking ICE from removing the men from Minnesota and ordering federal officials to explain their actions by Friday.
“This re-detention is unconstitutional, and they should be immediately released,” defense attorney Brian Clark argued in the filing, according to the newspaper.
The case stems from a January 14 incident that federal officials have described as a violent attack on a federal law enforcement officer during a targeted immigration arrest in north Minneapolis.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said ICE agents attempted to arrest Sosa-Celis during a traffic stop when he allegedly fled in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car, and ran from the scene. An ICE officer pursued him on foot and attempted to take him into custody.
DHS officials say Sosa-Celis allegedly resisted officers and engaged in a physical confrontation. As the struggle unfolded, two other individuals reportedly came out of a nearby apartment and attacked the officer using a snow shovel and a broom handle.
Officials say Sosa-Celis managed to break away and allegedly made contact with the officer again. Believing his safety was in jeopardy, the ICE agent discharged his weapon, wounding Sosa-Celis in the leg.
Despite the injury, DHS said Sosa-Celis and the other suspects retreated into the apartment and barricaded themselves inside. All three were later taken into federal custody. Both the ICE officer and Sosa-Celis were hospitalized following the confrontation.
DHS publicly identified the suspects as Venezuelan nationals Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna, and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, describing the incident as an attempted murder of a federal law enforcement officer.
However, the Star Tribune reported that a federal affidavit does not reference Hernandez-Ledezma and that he has not been charged with a federal crime. The outlet said he is currently being held at a federal detention facility in Texas, though his involvement in the incident could not be independently confirmed.
Defense attorneys have also questioned the sequence of events, claiming photographic evidence and witness statements raise doubts about when the defensive shot was fired. According to the report, lawyers argue the evidence may suggest the shooting occurred after the suspects had entered a residence.
The case highlights the growing tension between activist judges and federal immigration authorities, as the Trump administration continues to prioritize border security, officer safety, and strict enforcement of immigration law.
