Minnesota Today®

Feds decline to charge ICE agent in shooting of Venezuelan man in Minneapolis

Federal prosecutors last week considered, but ultimately declined to charge an ICE agent for shooting and wounding a Venezuelan man. Christian Castro allegedly shot Julio Sosa-Celis through the closed door of his Minneapolis house in January, then allegedly falsely clamed that Sosa-Celis attacked him.

Two people with knowledge of the case who aren’t authorized to speak publicly say federal prosecutors declined to move forward with civil rights charges. The decision came just before Castro left a Texas jail when Gov. Greg Abbott did not sign an extradition warrant on state-level charges from Hennepin County.

Consumer advocates are asking Minnesota regulators to reconsider their approval of rate hikes for Xcel Energy. In July, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted to allow Xcel to charge customers more for electricity. Minnesota’s attorney general and the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota filed separate petitions against some parts of the approval. Xcel Energy says a higher return helps attract investment needed to build and maintain infrastructure.

About 80 Haitian immigrants at a meat packing plant in Long Prairie were recently laid off because of immigration policy changes. The Trump administration’s immigration changes have also forced about 300 Haitians living in the central Minnesota town into hiding. Many fear being sent back to Haiti.

Republican Mike Lindell can't move ahead with a recount of his loss in the governor’s primary after Minnesota’s highest court turned back his lawsuit Saturday. The Minnesota Supreme Court denied Lindell’s attempt to broaden the scope of a recount beyond what the secretary of state laid out. Lindell missed the deadline to formally request and pay for a recount as he challenged its structure in court. Justices found his legal claims seeking an expansive recount meritless.

Feds decline to charge ICE agent in Minneapolis shooting

Rural Minnesota community helps Haitian, Latino immigrants

Mike Lindell recount bid in GOP governor primary loss denied by Minnesota's highest court